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☆ Sources say they were ‘duped’ by Egypt changing ceasefire terms for Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Alex Marquardt | Jeremy Diamond | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The ceasefire agreement that Hamas ended up announcing on May 6 was not what the Qataris or the Americans believed had been submitted to Hamas for a potential final review, the sources said. “We were all duped,” one of those sources told CNN. More of Hamas’ demands were inserted into the original framework that Israel had tacitly agreed to in order to secure Hamas’ approval, the source said. After discovering the Egyptian freelancing, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani informed Israel’s intelligence service Mossad that Egypt had acted alone, two of the sources told CNN. The day before Hamas made their May 6 public announcement agreeing to the proposal, an Egyptian source told CNN that Egypt had received Hamas’ response and relayed it to the Israeli side.

Persons: Israel, Bill Burns, Burns, ”, Ahmed Abdel Khalek, Abdel Khalek, Abbas Kamel, ’, Abdel Kareem Hana, Antony Blinken, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Bill Burns Bill Clark, Biden, Yahya Sinwar doesn’t, Critics of Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, Hamas, CIA, US, Biden, Military Locations: Gaza, Qatar, Israel, Egypt, Al Thani, Cairo, Washington, Rafah

☆ Oil prices edge lower on rising U.S. stockpiles
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Oil prices fell in early Asian trading hours on Wednesday after market sources said that data from the American Petroleum Institute showed an increase in U.S. crude and fuel stockpiles, an indicator of weak demand. Brent crude oil futures fell 21 cents, or 0.3%, to $82.95 a barrel by 0020 GMT. U.S. crude stocks rose by 509,000 barrels in the week ended May 3, market sources said citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Analysts polled by Reuters expect U.S. crude oil inventories to have fallen by about 1.1 million barrels last week. Hopes of a ceasefire in Gaza have also put pressure on oil prices in recent sessions.

Persons: Bill Burns, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: American Petroleum Institute, Brent, . West Texas, Official U.S, Reuters, EIA, Hamas, U.S . Central Intelligence Agency, Wednesday, Israeli, U.S Locations: Gaza, U.S, Israel

☆ Hamas has proposed a ceasefire deal. Here’s why that won’t bring an immediate end to the war in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —When Hamas declared on Monday evening that it has “agreed” to a ceasefire deal, it caught many off guard. But US officials have pushed back on Hamas’ claim that it had “agreed” to a ceasefire deal, instead characterizing the response as a counterproposal with changes. The Hamas proposal calls for an end to the war, which is a red line for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior American official told CNN. “Both sides only want a ceasefire deal that ensures their political survival,” Lowenstein said. It is not a list of individuals who can be killed or infrastructure and equipment that can be destroyed,” Ibish told CNN.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Israel, Bill Burns, Benny Gantz, Benjamin Netanyahu, Matan Golan, Frank Lowenstein, Barack Obama, ” Lowenstein, Netanyahu — “, Netanyahu, Barak Ravid, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Hamas’s, Biden, doesn’t, Lowenstein, “ Bibi, he’s, Khan Younis, “, that’s, Bibi, it’s, ” Hussein Ibish, Ibish, ” Ibish, “ Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, Hamas, CIA, Qatari, Israeli, Palestinian, Israel, AFP, Getty, Gulf States Institute Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, Cairo, Israel, “, American, Tel Aviv, Washington ,, Qatar

☆ Middle East Crisis Israeli Military Warns Thousands in Rafah to Evacuate
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Vivek Shankar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

“We were very close, but Netanyahu’s narrow-mindedness aborted an agreement,” Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, said in a phone interview. The Israeli official said that Israel had sought a written response to its latest proposal from Hamas before dispatching a delegation, but that the group never conveyed one. Mr. Abu Marzouk was the only one of the officials who spoke about the talks to allow the use of his name. Hamas, Mr. Abu Marzouk said, thought that Mr. Netanyahu wanted an agreement that would permit Israel to invade Rafah after its hostages are released. A report in Al-Qahera News, an Egyptian state-owned television channel, said that a Hamas delegation would return to Cairo on Tuesday, but the senior Hamas official said that the group hadn’t made a decision yet.

Persons: Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Mousa Abu Marzouk, Biden, won’t, ”, Abu Marzouk, Mr, Bill Burns, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Peter Baker, Michael Crowley Organizations: Hamas, Sunday, Central Intelligence Agency, Qatari, Qahera Locations: Gaza, Israel, Cairo, Rafah, Kerem, United States, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Doha, Al

☆ US and Israeli officials say finalizing any ceasefire deal could take days
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Jeremy Diamond | Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —As negotiators meet in Cairo on Saturday, US and Israeli officials say any potential agreement on a framework that would pair a temporary ceasefire with a release of hostages in Gaza would likely be followed by continued negotiations over the finer details of the deal. A final deal between the two parties is expected to take several more days to negotiate. Negotiators have made progress on the technical aspects of a potential deal, but two Israeli sources say it could take a week to finalize the deal itself. American officials continue to view the talks with cautious optimism, describing progress but still mindful that previous efforts have fallen apart at the last minute. But Israeli sources said he could quickly head to Egypt if Hamas agrees to the framework.

Persons: Amir Levy, David Barnea, Bill Burns, CNN’s MJ Lee, Alex Marquardt, Kareem Khadder, Mostafa Salem, Eve Brennan Organizations: CNN, Saturday, CIA Locations: Cairo, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, Egypt, United States

☆ Biden signs foreign aid bill providing crucial military assistance to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Michael Williams | Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed into law an aid package providing crucial military assistance to Ukraine, capping months of negotiations and debate. The aid package, passed by the Senate late Tuesday evening and worth $95 billion in total, includes nearly $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific. Hardline House conservatives opposed further US funding to Kyiv and threatened to oust Johnson over his handling of the negotiations. Conservatives in Congress have opposed additional assistance for what they view as an unwinnable war. Earlier this year, Biden signaled his intentions to make significant immigration-related concessions if Congress were to move forward with the aid bill.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Biden, Bill Burns, Donald Trump, Trump, Sen, Bernie Sanders, ” Sanders, Benjamin ] Organizations: Washington CNN, Senate, House Republican, Conservatives, Congress, CIA, Ukraine, Republicans Locations: Ukraine, Israel, United States, Kyiv, Europe, Russia, Gaza

☆ Inside the White House’s monthslong push for Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Sullivan followed up four days later with a call to Johnson to highlight the measures in place to track aid in Ukraine. They spoke often with Johnson’s staff, including meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, Ricchetti and Goff spoke with Schumer and Jeffries and their staff almost daily to strategize on how to push Ukraine aid forward. Biden and Johnson spoke by phone the next day as the speaker briefed him on his plan to move the aid package forward. “We discussed the contents of the next US military aid package,” Zelensky said.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Joe Biden, Johnson –, speakership, Biden, Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Jake Sullivan, Shalanda Young, Sullivan, Taiwan –, Hamas, Putin, ” Biden, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, “, ”, Steve Ricchetti, Richetti, Shuwanza Goff, Ricchetti, Goff, Jeff Zients, Schumer, Jeffries, Young, McConnell, Michael McCaul, Intelligence Michael Turner, Bill Burns, Ukraine Bridget Brink, Chip Roy, Texas, Ralph Norman of, Biden’s, Anita Dunn, Jon, Lloyd Austin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Donald Trump’s, Burns, ” Zelensky Organizations: Washington CNN, Ukraine, White House, GOP, Management, Senate, Biden, Russia, House Democratic, White, Capitol, House Foreign, Intelligence, CIA, Republican, The Defense Department, House Republicans, National Intelligence, Democratic, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Russia, Israel, Taiwan, Ricchetti, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Washington ,, Johnson’s

☆ New US military aid package to Ukraine expected to be worth around $1 billion
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Biden administration is preparing a new aid package for Ukraine that is expected to be worth around $1 billion, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN, and is set to be approved by President Joe Biden after the Senate passes a new foreign aid funding bill as soon as Tuesday afternoon. In briefings to Congress in recent weeks, administration officials have indicated that the US will likely send Ukraine long-range ATACMS, or Army Tactical Missile Systems, for the first time as part of the new aid package, three of the sources said. Ukrainian officials have been asking the US both in private and in public for the long-range missile to target deeper behind Russian lines. Broadly, Russia has maintained a “significant quantitative advantage” over Ukraine in terms of munitions, manpower and equipment, a NATO official said earlier this month. The military aid will be sourced from the US’ own stockpiles through a funding mechanism known as presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, and will be the first PDA package for Ukraine since March.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden, Bill Burns, Chris Cavoli, Sen, Mark Warner, we’ve, ” Warner, Bradley, ” Celeste Wallander Organizations: CNN, Senate, Army Tactical Missile Systems, US, CIA, NATO, Senate Intelligence, CBS, Pentagon, White, Command Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, Russia

I think providing aid to Ukraine right now is critically important,” the speaker added. House TVThe speaker’s embrace of Ukraine aid represents a remarkable evolution for Johnson, who voted against funding for the country as a rank-and-file member. Johnson drags his feetJohnson did not come to his decision on how to handle foreign aid quickly. “Slow,” New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said when asked how Johnson handled Ukraine aid. In recent weeks, allies counseled Johnson to keep the former president in the loop on his potential foreign aid plans.

Persons: Manu Raju ”, Johnson, Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Jeffries, Taiwan –, Michael McCaul, “, ” Johnson, Derrick Van Orden, Matt Gaetz, ”, Johnson –, Kevin McCarthy, –, Joe Biden, Donald Trump’s, Mike Pompeo, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Bill Burns, Marjorie Taylor Greene, ” Jeffries, Biden, Mitch McConnell, Gregory Meeks, Patrick McHenry of, Trump, Johnson’s, ” Trump, Eli Crane, McCarthy, Bob Good, Johnson “, Greene, Al Green, Van Orden, Gaetz, I’m, ” Van Orden, Chip Roy’s, Bob Good’s, Kent Nishimura, Paul Gosar, Johnson’s speakership, We’re, we’ve, Tom Cole of, ” Cole, “ There’s, Warren Davidson, CNN’s Haley Talbot, Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, CNN, Democratic, Louisiana Republican, Foreign, ”, Florida Republican, Senate, Republican, Ukraine, CIA, Naval Academy, Israel, Internal Revenue Service, New York Rep, House Foreign Affairs, Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Lago, Arizona, Democratic Rep, Navy, Navy Seals, Wisconsin Republican, Capitol, Democrats, Republicans, GOP Rep, ” Veteran GOP Locations: Iran, Israel, Ukraine, Washington, Louisiana, Taiwan, Florida, American, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Patrick McHenry of North, Iranian, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, House, Arizona, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Ohio

☆ Washington wrestles with ‘new equation’ of direct attacks between Iran and Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Alex Marquardt | Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Throughout the week, US officials had urged Israel not to retaliate for Iran’s unprecedented attack five days prior, when hundreds of missiles and drones were fired from inside Iran at Israel. US intelligence has long assessed that neither Iran nor Israel has any appetite for an outright war. Iranian officials have stated publicly that Iran’s policy toward Israel has changed. Then, on April 1, an Israeli strike on what Iran claims was an embassy in Syria killed seven officials, including two senior Iranian commanders. “Israel and Iran are going to be starting higher on the escalatory ladder for every future moment of conflict and that is incredibly dangerous,” said Panikoff.

Persons: Biden, ”, Hossein, Israel’s, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Israel, Bill Burns, George W, “, Frank McKenzie, ” McKenzie, Maher Al Mounes, Mohammed Reza Zahedi, Jonathan Panikoff, Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Khamenei, Karim Sadjadpour, Qassem Soleimani, Iran —, Iran messaged, Donald Trump, stridently, —, McKenzie Organizations: CNN, Israel, Iran, US, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, CIA, Bush Presidential Center, Iranian, US Central Command, Getty, Lebanese Hezbollah, Iran’s, Carnegie Endowmernt Locations: Washington, Israel, Iran, Tehran, ” Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Dallas, Syria, Syria's, Damascus, AFP, Lebanese, Iran’s, Iraq

☆ Senior White House official tapped to serve in important European ambassadorial role amid Ukraine concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Curtis Ried, a longtime career foreign service officer who has served under two presidents at the White House, who currently serves as chief of staff and counselor of the White House National Security Council is being nominated for the post, CNN has learned. As Congress grapples with next steps on Ukraine aid, Biden administration officials have warned of the consequences if Ukraine doesn’t receive billions in additional funding, citing losses on the battlefield and ceding ground to Russia. The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organization and is made up of 57 members, including Russia. The move to nominate Ried comes as the US seeks to reaffirm leadership on the world stage amid political wrangling in Washington that’s stalled aid to Ukraine. It’s unclear, however, when Ried would assume the post as the nomination still needs to work its way through the Senate.

Persons: Joe Biden, Curtis Ried, Ried, Biden, Michael Carpenter, ” Carpenter, Washington that’s, Bill Burns, “, He’s Organizations: CNN, White House, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Ukraine, White, White House National Security Council, United Nations, Biden, OSCE, National Security Council, CIA, Senate Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Gaza, Ried, Russia, Israel, Russian, Washington

☆ CIA director warns Ukraine could lose war with Russia by the end of the year unless US sends more aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —CIA Director Bill Burns on Thursday warned that unless US sends more military support, Ukraine could “lose” the war against Russia by the end of the year. His comments mark one of the starkest warnings to date from the Biden administration on the stakes in Ukraine as Congress debates whether to approve a long-delayed aid package to Kyiv. In an effort to satisfy divided factions of the GOP, some of whom support and some of whom oppose aid for Ukraine, he has split the legislation into separate bills and the Ukraine aid portion is expected to come up for a vote on Saturday night. That would still be deemed “a loss.”Burns detailed the dire need for basic ammunition that Ukraine faces on the battlefield. He recounted two battalions — 2,000-plus man units — that had “15 artillery rounds per day” and “a grand total of 42 mortar rounds,” respectively.

Persons: Bill Burns, “, Biden, Burns, —, George W, ” Burns, ”, Putin, Mike Johnson Organizations: CNN, CIA, US, Senate Intelligence Committee, — “, Bush, Israel, GOP, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, — “ Ukraine, Israel, Moscow, Crimea, Ukrainian, Russian

☆ Ismail Haniyeh: Israeli airstrike kills three sons of Hamas political leader in Gaza as ceasefire talks stutter
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jeremy Diamond | Zeena Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Three sons of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza Wednesday, an assassination that threatens to complicate ongoing negotiations aiming to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal. The three were killed when the vehicle they were driving in was bombed in the Al Shati refugee camp, northwest of Gaza City, Hamas political leader Haniyeh told Al Jazeera. The Israeli military statement did not mention anyone else being killed in the strike. Palestinian group Hamas' top political leader Ismail Haniyeh speaks during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, on March 26, 2024. More than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Persons: Ismail Haniyeh, Amir Haniyeh, Mohammad Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Al Jazeera, Eid, ”, Majid Asgaripour, Reuters Haniyeh, “, Haniyeh’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Bill Burns Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Israel Security Agency, Hamas, Reuters, Israeli, Gaza Ministry, Health, CIA, Israel Locations: Gaza, Al Shati, Gaza City, Palestinian, Tehran, Iran, Qatar, Rafah, “ Israel, Israel’s, Cairo

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Rafah invasion, ceasefire talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

In a statement published early Tuesday, Hamas said the latest deal proposed by Israel does not meet their demands. Hamas said it received the proposal through Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators. While Hamas said it appreciated the effort, the group said Israel “remains stubborn and has not responded to any of the demands of our people and our resistance.”But Hamas maintained it is “keen to reach an agreement that puts an end to the aggression against our people.”The group said its leaders would review the proposal and would eventually inform the mediators of their response. Over the weekend in Cairo, CIA Director Bill Burns presented the new proposal which includes pushing Israel to release a higher number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the expected 40 Israeli hostages who would be freed during the first phase of a three-stage ceasefire deal.

Persons: Israel “, Bill Burns Organizations: Qatari, CIA, Israel Locations: Israel, Cairo

☆ CIA director presented new proposal for Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Qatari, Egyptian and Israeli officials, along with Burns, were in Cairo over the weekend for the negotiations. So far, Israel has rejected the Hamas demands an unrestricted return of Gazans to the north and the redeployment of IDF troops away from central Gaza. Israel has insisted on inspections of Palestinians moving north, a diplomat familiar with the talks told CNN. Mediators have been trying for months to seal an agreement between Hamas and Israel for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Ansari said mediators are waiting for replies from Hamas and Israel over proposals from different parties, including the United States.

Persons: Bill Burns, Burns, Cairo “, Benjamin Netanyahu, he’d, ” Netanyahu, “, Majed Al, Ansari, hasn’t, ” Ansari Organizations: CNN, CIA, Israel, Egypt’s Intelligence Service, US, “, Hamas, BBC Locations: Israel, Gaza, Cairo, Egypt, Rafah, United States

☆ Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks are ‘stuck but ongoing,’ sources tell CNN
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Alex Marquardt | Jeremy Diamond | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Talks over a hostage deal and a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas have reached another stalemate but are not over, according to three people familiar with the negotiations. Burns put forward a proposal that was accepted by Israel and sent back to Hamas, the second person and an Israeli official told CNN. “The negotiations are not only centric around the prisoner exchange deal,” Hamas senior official Basem Naeim told CNN on Monday. Those releases would take place during the first phase of a ceasefire, which would be expected to last around six weeks. The senior US officials and Gallant did not reach any agreements on how Israel will move forward with an operation in Rafah in southern Gaza, US and Israeli officials told CNN.

Persons: “, ”, Bill Burns, Burns, Israel, David Barnea, Basem Naeim, “ Israel, Amir Levy, Yahya Sinwar, Matthew Miller, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, William Burns, Anna Moneymaker, ” Miller, Biden, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, CNN’s Natasha Bertrand Organizations: Hamas, CIA, Doha, Qatari, CNN, Hamas didn’t, National Security, United Nations Security, Central Intelligence Agency, House Intelligence, Cannon, US, Biden Locations: Gaza, Israel, Doha, Qatar, Tel Aviv, Washington , DC, Rafah, Washington, US

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has agreed to reschedule a planned meeting with US and Israeli officials to discuss a possible operation in Rafah, the White House confirmed Wednesday, just days after Netanyahu canceled the delegation. “The Prime Minister’s Office has agreed to reschedule the meeting dedicated to Rafah,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. During Wednesday’s briefing, the press secretary declined to say when the administration is hoping to reschedule the meeting, but emphasized it’s an “urgent” priority. Netanyahu canceled the delegation’s planned trip this week over objections to the US abstaining from a UN Security Council vote calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. An Israeli official told CNN they are in the process of rescheduling the visit to DC to hear US ideas for how to target Hamas in Rafah.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Karine Jean, Pierre said, we’re, Jake Sullivan, Tony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Bill Burns, ”, CNN’s Jennifer Hansler Organizations: White House, CNN, UN Security, US Locations: Rafah, Gaza, “ Rafah

CNN —Israel agreed to a US proposal on a prisoner-hostage exchange that would release around 700 Palestinian prisoners, among them 100 serving life sentences for killing Israeli nationals, in exchange for the release of 40 Israeli hostages, CNN affiliate Kan News reported Sunday, citing a senior Israeli official. Earlier in the weekend, CNN analyst Barak Ravid, citing an unnamed Israeli official, tweeted that Israel agreed to a US “bridging proposal” on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released for every hostage held by Hamas. Israel agreed to the proposal put forth by CIA Director Bill Burns, according to Ravid. Burns was in Doha, Qatar, where Hamas and Israel are engaged in talks through mediators. The latest proposal by Hamas this month demanded that some 700 to 1,000 Palestinian prisoners be released.

Persons: CNN — Israel, Barak Ravid, Israel, Bill Burns, Burns, Ravid, ” Kan, David Barnea, CNN’s Abel Alvarado Organizations: CNN, Kan News, Hamas, CIA, ” Kan News, Doha Locations: Doha, Qatar, Israel, Gaza, ”

☆ Israel slams Hamas’ latest Gaza ceasefire proposal as ‘ridiculous’ but says it will send negotiators to latest talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The response from Hamas was long-awaited after discussions over a proposed six-week pause in the fighting appeared to stall. Hamas communicated their latest proposal via mediators Qatar and Egypt on Thursday, two sources familiar with the negotiations told CNN. On Friday, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Hamas is continuing to hold to unrealistic demands” but announced that an Israeli team would soon be traveling to Doha to further talks. The Hamas proposal included 100 prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, the diplomat said. Even if both Hamas and Israel are participating in the talks, the two sides would not be in the same room.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ”, Antony Blinken, Israel, ” Blinken, Bill Burns, David Barnea, John Kirby, we’ve, ” Kirby, CNN’s MJ Lee, Ireland’s, Biden nodded, ” Basem Naim, CNN’s Amir Tal, MJ Lee, Betsy Klein, Abeer Salman Organizations: CNN, Qatar, Hamas, Reuters, CIA, Biden, National Security, White House Locations: CNN — Israel, Gaza, Israel, Egypt, Israeli, Doha, Rafah, Qatar, Jordan

☆ US intelligence report states Netanyahu’s viability to lead Israel is in jeopardy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | Michael Conte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The US intelligence community assesses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “viability as a leader” to be “in jeopardy,” according to its annual report on the national security threats facing the United States that was presented to Congress on Monday. The intelligence report notes that the Israeli population broadly supports the destruction of Hamas. It offers an around-the-world unclassified snapshot of how the intelligence community views the panoply of national security threats facing the United States. Beijing, according to the report, has more than tripled its export of goods with potential military use to Russia since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. China has provided “economy and security assistance to Russia’s war in Ukraine through support to Russia’s defense industrial base, including by providing dual-use material and components for weapons,” the report states.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, ” Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Biden, Netanyahu, Israel, “, Chris Wray, I’ve, ” Wray, Sen, Mark Warner of, Republican Sen, Jim Risch of, ” Warner, ” Risch, “ I’ve, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Bill Burns, Burns, Ukraine “, you’re, ” Burns Organizations: CNN, ISIS, Hamas, Senate, Congressional, Republican, Warner, Democratic, National Intelligence, CIA Locations: United States, Israel, Gaza, Mark Warner of Virginia, Jim Risch of Idaho, Ukraine, Russia, Beijing, Moscow, China

☆ US not anticipating Israeli forces to enter Rafah at the start of Ramadan
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Mj Lee | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Biden administration is not anticipating that Israeli forces will imminently expand their military operations into Rafah, two US officials told CNN, with the holy month of Ramadan set to begin Monday for most Muslims. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that regardless of a deal, he plans to send the military into Rafah. “Once we begin the intense action of eradicating the Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, it’s a matter of weeks, if not months. Families are already living with severe shortages of food, water, medicine and shelter, and the daily risk of being killed. CIA Director Bill Burns, who has led US efforts, was back in the Middle East last week meeting with Qatari, Egyptian and Israeli counterparts.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Benny Gantz, Ramadan, Benjamin Netanyahu, “ We’ll, We’re, ” Netanyahu, Axel Springer, “, Joe Biden, ” Biden, Netanyahu, ”, Bill Burns, –, John Kirby, CNN’s Mitchell McCluskey, Michelle Shen Organizations: CNN, Hamas, MSNBC, Politico, United Nations, CIA, Biden White, National Security, House Locations: Rafah, Washington, Gaza, “, it’s, Israel

☆ Exclusive: US prepared ‘rigorously’ for potential Russian nuclear strike in Ukraine in late 2022, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Russian officials alleged Ukraine would build and detonate a dirty bomb against Russian forces and then blame the attack on Russia. Western intelligence agencies had received information that there were now communications among Russian officials explicitly discussing a nuclear strike. “It’s never a cut-and-dry, black-and-white assessment,” the first senior administration official told me. Secretary of State Antony Blinken communicated US concerns “very directly” with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, according to senior administration officials. “We conducted a number of quiet conversations with core allies to go through our thinking,” the first senior administration official told me.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Powers, “, ” “, Chris McGrath, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Shoigu, “ It’s, NurPhoto, Antony Blinken, Sergey Lavrov, Mark Milley, General Valery Gerasimov, Joe Biden, Bill Burns, Sergey Naryshkin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Alexandr Demyanchuk, ”, … Organizations: CNN, US, National Security Council, Kherson City, “, UN, United Nations, Russian, Russian Armed Forces, CIA, Indian, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, “, Russian, Kherson, Ukrainian, France, Turkey, ”, Kyiv, India, China, Samarkand

☆ US says ‘understanding’ reached at Gaza hostage talks but negotiations continue
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Camila Dechalus | Sam Fossum | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Negotiators have come to an “understanding” on the broad contours of a potential deal to release hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN Sunday. An Israeli delegation, including Mossad director David Barnea, joined talks with CIA director Bill Burns and Egyptian and Qatar negotiators in Paris on Friday. Qatar and Egypt serve as intermediaries between Hamas and Israel, which do not talk directly to each other. Crucially, Hamas has not yet signed onto this possible framework and any possible final deal is still, at the earliest, days away as negotiators continue to hammer out the actual details. But we will have to wait and see.”When pressed by Bash on how hopeful he was about a potential deal, Sullivan declined to weigh in: “There’s been a lot of to’ing and fro’ing.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, David Barnea, Bill Burns, I’m, ” Sullivan, CNN’s Dana, Bash, Sullivan, “, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, they’ve Organizations: CNN, National, CNN Sunday, CIA, Qatar, Union, Israeli, Fox News Locations: Gaza, Paris, Qatar, Egypt, Israel, United States, ‘ State

☆ Israel’s war cabinet agrees to send a negotiating team to Paris for hostage talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Jeremy Diamond | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Tel Aviv CNN —Israel’s war cabinet has agreed to send a negotiating team, led by Mossad Director David Barnea, to Paris on Friday to pursue talks over a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal, an Israeli official said. The negotiating team is expected to be empowered to engage in substantive negotiations rather than simply listening to proposals as they did during meetings in Cairo last week, the official said. The full Israeli cabinet is expected to vote on the matter overnight to give final approval for the trip. The decision came during a war cabinet meeting Thursday night, at the end of a day that saw US President Joe Biden’s Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk meet with top Israeli officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That proof, combined with positive indications from talks in Cairo on Wednesday and prodding from US officials, ultimately triggered the Israeli agreement to send a negotiating team to Paris.

Persons: Tel Aviv CNN —, David Barnea, Bill Burns, Joe Biden’s, Brett McGurk, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Ramadan Organizations: Tel, Tel Aviv CNN, CIA, Qatari, CNN, Paris Locations: Tel Aviv, Paris, Cairo, Gaza, Israel

☆ Negotiators race to secure Israel-Hamas hostage and ceasefire deal ahead of Ramadan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Mj Lee | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Looming over the hostage deal discussions is the threat by Israel to launch an offensive into Rafah in southern Gaza, where around 1.5 million displaced Gazans have fled. Israel appears dug inAs Israel appears dug in its position, negotiators expect Hamas to again respond in the coming days. The first hostage deal in late November saw the return of dozens of hostages taken captive by Hamas on October 7 and a week-long truce. Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, have continued to argue that “complete victory” is needed over Hamas. Supporting Tuesday’s UN resolution, proposed by Algeria, in the middle of the ongoing hostage talks would have jeopardized the ceasefire talks, White House said.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Ramadan, Israel, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Joe Biden’s, Brett McGurk, Bill Burns ’, ” Gal Hirsch, Majed Al, Ansari, ” Al, Benny Gantz, White, “, John Kirby, – Organizations: CNN, Israel, CIA, Munich Security, Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “ Qatar, United Nations, UN, Senior, United Nations Security Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, Qatar, Egypt, United States, Cairo, Doha, Algeria

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