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☆ Talks on an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal appear on track after killings at Gaza aid site, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Alex Marquardt | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN has reached out to several Hamas officials about the potential deal but has not gotten a response. In the immediate aftermath of the deaths of dozens of Palestinian civilians in Gaza on Thursday, US officials said the chaotic scenes injected added urgency into the hostage and ceasefire talks. On Thursday, Biden said the deaths at the aid site could make the ceasefire talks more difficult. Technical teams have been working on the key components of a potential deal this week in Doha, officials familiar with the talks say. During a truce, negotiations would take place over more sensitive topics like the release of Israeli soldiers who are hostages, Palestinian prisoners serving longer sentences, the withdrawal of IDF forces and bringing a permanent end to the war alongside the so-called “day after” issues.

Persons: Ramadan, Joe Biden, “, ” Biden, Giorgia Meloni, Ramadan –, Biden, Majed al, Ansari, ” It’s, Barak Ravid, Sameh Shukri, ” Organizations: CNN, Doha, Italian, Israel, CNN Foreign Affairs, Axios, Antalya Diplomacy, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, Gaza City, Paris, Qatar, Egypt, Rafah, Doha, Antalya, Turkey

Smoke billows above the Lebanese village of Bint Jbeil during Israeli bombardment on February 28. “We are operating in the assumption that an Israeli military operation is in the coming months,” one senior Biden administration official said. An Israeli military operation is a distinct possibility.”The leadership of Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed paramilitary group, has expressed support for Palestinians and condemned Israel’s offensive in Gaza. There have been months of daily, deadly cross-border strikes by both Israel and Hezbollah that have displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese and Israeli residents from their homes. That deal would likely postpone an Israeli incursion, US officials believe.

Persons: Bint Jbeil, Jalaa Marey, Biden, ”, “ Organizations: Getty, Biden, Hezbollah Locations: Lebanese, AFP, Israel, Lebanon, Israeli, Iran, Gaza

☆ Concern rising among Biden officials that Israel is planning incursion into Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“We are operating in the assumption that an Israeli military operation is in the coming months,” one senior Biden administration official said. That deal would likely postpone an Israeli incursion, US officials believe. “Some Israeli officials suggest that it is more of an effort at creating a threat that they can utilize. A second senior Biden administration official said there are elements inside the Israeli government and military in favor of an incursion. Benjamin Netanyahu Ariel Tagar/USA Today“Once the war is over, his expiration date arrives,” the first senior administration official said.

Persons: Biden, ”, “, let’s, Let’s, ’, Israel, Herzi, Amos Hochstein, Amos Hochstein Michael Brochstein, Amos, Hochstein, Yoav Gallant, It’s, ” Gallant, Ziv, Jalaa Marey, Benjamin Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu Ariel Tagar Organizations: CNN, Biden, “, Israel, US, Getty, Lebanese Armed Forces, United Nations, UNIFIL, Bibi Locations: Israel, Lebanon, Israeli, Gaza, “, Washington, The State, Beirut, Baalbek, Israel's, Safed, AFP, ” Israel, Golan

☆ Hamas has softened some demands as Gaza hostage and ceasefire negotiations progress, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Hamas’ requirements for the numbers of Palestinians [prisoners that] would have to be freed has declined,” the official added. A diplomatic source familiar with the discussions confirmed that Hamas softened its position ahead of an agreement on the first phase of a deal. “They have to come down to reality,” Netanyahu said of Hamas on Fox News. “And I think if that’s the case, we’ll be able to have a deal we certainly wanted, and I wanted. With or without a hostage deal, “We will do it anyway” Netanyahu told CBS News, because “total victory is our goal.”“We can’t leave the last Hamas stronghold without taking care of it,” Netanyahu said.

Persons: ”, Matt Miller, “, ” Miller, Miller, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, ” Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, we’ll, Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Biden, State, Doha, Israeli, Fox News, CBS Locations: Gaza, Paris, Rafah, Doha, Qatar, Egypt

CNN —Two American brothers who were detained in Gaza earlier this month by Israeli forces are being held in Ashkelon prison, a US official tells CNN. The brothers were “arrested for collaboration with Hamas,” Israel’s Consul General to the Midwest, Yinam Cohen, told CNN on Thursday. When asked for comment, the IDF told CNN the brothers are not in their custody, referring questions to the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As CNN previously reported, the brothers were among a group of roughly 20 men detained by IDF soldiers early on February 8, according to the brothers’ cousin Yasmeen Elagha. IDF did not respond to CNN’s request for comment at the time on the matter.

Persons: Alagha, Hashem Alagha, ”, Yinam Cohen, Maria Kari, Hashem, Borak’s, ” Kari, Yasmeen Elagha, –, Elagha Organizations: CNN, US, IDF, Israeli Security Agency, “ Locations: Gaza, Ashkelon, Israel, Chicago

☆ 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

CNN —The United States has vetoed a resolution at the United Nations calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an anticipated move that comes amid growing international clamor for Israel to pause its offensive against Hamas. The US had already signaled its intention to veto the Algerian resolution, but has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and on Monday proposed its own Security Council draft resolution calling for a “temporary ceasefire” in the conflict. Attention will now turn to the progress of the American draft resolution, which falls short of the wishes of most other Security Council members but nonetheless highlights a hardening in the White House’s stance on the conflict. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the UN, told the Security Council the Algeria-proposed resolution would negatively impact sensitive negotiations ongoing in the region. Algeria’s resolution, while doomed to ultimately fail, served to highlight the increasingly widespread global concern about the tenor of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)’s ground and bombing campaign in Gaza.

Persons: Linda Thomas, Greenfield, ” Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Hamas, US, UN, Security Council, Israel Defense Forces Locations: United States, Gaza, Israel, Algeria

☆ Speaker Mike Johnson faces critical decision on Ukraine aid as international pressure grows to act
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Melanie Zanona | Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Speaker Mike Johnson is facing international criticism over his lack of swift action on Ukraine aid, which is ratcheting up pressure to make a critical decision that will not only have massive implications for his rookie speakership but also for Ukraine’s ongoing war effort against Russia. “If there is a Mike Johnson plan, there aren’t any House Republicans that are aware of its existence.”The pressure cooker Johnson is facing has exposed some frustration over how he has approached his speakership. At a time when House Republicans are looking to their leader to make a decisive choice, the speaker has instead elevated members to bring forward their own ideas without articulating his own preferences. “Ukraine is in desperate need of the US aid, passed by an overwhelming bipartisan vote on the floor of the United States Senate. “We’re looking at a number of options on our leadership team.”Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has repeatedly hammered Johnson over his inaction.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, –, Alexei Navalny, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, Sen, J.D, Vance, Johnson —, Warren Davidson, ” Davidson, Virginia Sen, Mark Warner, ”, Ben Cardin, “, ” Cardin, It’s, Brian Fitzpatrick, someone’s, Mitch McConnell, Vladimir Putin, ” Johnson, Steve Scalise, Trump, ” Scalise, Joe Biden, ” Biden, NATO … I’ve, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Putin “, Vladimir Putin’s, ” Schumer, it’s, There’s, Mike Turner, ” CNN’s Alex Marquardt Organizations: CNN, Russia, Democratic, Congress, Global, Security, Republicans, Republican, NATO, GOP, Caucus, languishes, Senate Intelligence, United, United States Senate, Senate, NATO …, New, New York Democrat, House Intelligence, Ohio Republican, Press, Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Warren Davidson of Ohio, “, Munich, United States, Russia, Pennsylvania, Baltic, Florida, New York, Washington

Munich, Germany CNN —Hamas’s demands for a hostage deal are “delusional” and need to be “close to reality,” Israel’s Coordinator for the Captives and the Missing, Gal Hirsch, told CNN Saturday. But Hamas’s demands are disconnected from reality - delusional,” the former Israel Defense Forces commander said in an interview with CNN’s Alex Marquardt at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. He suggested that, though Israel and Hamas had previously agreed on a deal to supply medication to Israeli hostages, the hostages did not receive this medication. Hamas will be dismantled, but we would like very much to make a deal and to bring our hostages back home. “They wanted very much to break the potential deal just as they did in the previous one,” he suggested.

Persons: Germany CNN —, ”, Gal Hirsch, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, counteroffer, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Hirsch, ” Hirsch, Khan Younis, “, Martin Meissner, Marquardt, Deir al Balah Organizations: Germany CNN, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Munich, Israeli, Minister’s, Hamas, Nasser, IDF, UN Locations: Munich, Germany, Gaza, Israel, Israel’s, Khan, The Hague, Netherlands, Rafah, Deir al

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Workers from Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida have released 11 cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles back into the Atlantic Ocean. The turtles were released earlier this week near Cape Canaveral after two months of rehabilitation, the aquarium said in a news release Thursday. They were part of a group of 16 turtles that arrived at the Tampa Bay area facility from the New England Aquarium in Massachusetts in December. Rehabilitation facilities in the Northeast frequently collaborate with other facilities to treat cold-stunned turtles. A total of 52 sea turtles were flown this past winter to Florida, where they were treated by Clearwater Marine Aquarium, as well as Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida Aquarium and Loggerhead Marine Life Center.

Persons: Kemp’s ridley, ridley, Dr, Shelly Marquardt Organizations: —, Clearwater Marine, New, Aquarium, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Marine Laboratory, Florida Aquarium, Life Locations: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla, Clearwater, Florida, Cape Canaveral, Tampa Bay, Massachusetts, ”, Cape Cod

CNN —Talks on a hostage and ceasefire deal for Gaza appear to be at an impasse. During the process, Israeli troops would gradually withdraw from Gaza, hostages would be released and Palestinian prisoners in Israel – including those serving life sentences – would be freed. The Israeli leader has repeatedly said that the war in Gaza will continue until Israel destroys Hamas’ leadership and rescues the hostages. Even as talks continue in Cairo, the Israeli military has been conducting operations in Gaza designed to hunt down top Hamas figures. The Israeli prime minister on Wednesday said that Hamas must change its negotiating position before talks can continue in Cairo.

Persons: CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Israel –, Said Khatib, ”, ’, –, Netanyahu, “, Matthew Miller, Ronen Zvulun, Shin Bet, Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu –, ” Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, “ We’re, we’re, Joe Biden, ” Miller Organizations: CNN, Hamas, CIA, Israeli, Getty, “, US State Department, ’, IDF, State Department, The Washington Post Locations: Gaza, Cairo, Israel, Rafah, Paris, AFP, Qatar, “ Qatar, Doha, Aqsa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, “, Egypt, Albania, The Washington, Palestinian, United States

☆ Biden has to deal with a second war he didn’t want. His task is to contain it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

— Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian group based in Lebanon, has been waging a low-grade war against Israel. — Iran has blamed Israel for an attack that killed a number of Revolutionary Guard officers in Damascus, Syria. Hawkish Republicans like South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham are demanding he attack Iran on Iranian soil. “The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East. And on a purely strategic level, risking a major Middle East war that could cause massive US casualties to avenge the deaths of three soldiers, as terrible as their deaths are, would not represent a sound equation.

Persons: they're, Joe Biden —, Jordan Sunday –, Biden, haven’t, —, Israel, it’s, Antony Blinken, ” Aaron David Miller, CNN’s Jim Acosta, “, ”, William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders, Breonna Moffett, South Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, Nikki Haley, Biden’s, Donald Trump, Jim Himes, what’s, CNN’s Oren Liebermann, Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis, Blinken, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Joe Biden, Arkansas Sen, Tom Cotton, Haley, Qasem Soleimani, Trump, John Kirby, It’s Biden Organizations: Republicans, White House CNN, Jordan Sunday, Hezbollah, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Britain, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Revolutionary Guard, ”, GOP, Rep, Intelligence, Islamic, United Nations, –, Iran Locations: Washington, Tehran, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Jordan, United States, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, —, Syria, Baghdad, Beirut, Lebanon –, Damascus, East, South Carolina, Connecticut, Hamas, Qatar, Egypt, Islamic Republic, Arkansas, There’s

☆ Israeli dossier details UNRWA workers’ alleged involvement in October 7 attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Alex Marquardt | Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Of the 13 UNRWA employees alleged to have been associated with the attack, the Israeli document alleges 10 were Hamas operatives, two were Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives and one is unidentified. It also alleges that at least one UNRWA employee supplied logistic support to the attack. In a statement Sunday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said nine UNRWA staff members at the center of the allegations had been fired. At least 152 UNRWA staffers have been killed in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began, according to the agency. Israel has strongly opposed calls for a ceasefire, maintaining that it needs to press on with its aim of eliminating Hamas.

Persons: CNN — Israel, Israel, Jack Lew, David Satterfield, Stephane Dujarric, UNWRA, Philippe Lazzarini, António Guterres, ” Guterres, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Organizations: CNN, United Nations, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Islamic Jihad, Middle East, UN, UNRWA, Assembly, UN’s, Hamas, of Health Locations: Gaza, Israel, East, Germany, Norway, Ireland, Turkey, Saudi Arabia

CNN —Efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza and broker a prolonged pause in fighting are at an important juncture as President Joe Biden deploys his point person on hostage talks to Europe for multiparty talks on the contours of a possible agreement. He said on Friday, Biden had spoken to Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as well as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss ongoing hostage talks. “We continue to do everything we can to facilitate another hostage deal just like we did back in November,” Kirby said. Each stage would come with a pause in fighting and the delivery of aid to the North and South of Gaza. The White House on Thursday reiterated its gratitude for Qatar — which has acted as a key mediator in hostage talks — in response to the leaked recording.

Persons: Joe Biden, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Abbas Kamel, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Burns, Barnea, John Kirby, “, ” Kirby, Biden, Abdel Fatah al, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Thani, Kirby, Brett McGurk, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, Betsy Klein, Katie Bo Lillis Organizations: CNN, CIA, White House, Qatari, White, National Security, Hamas, Biden, Qatar Locations: Gaza, Europe, Israel, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al, France, Washington, Qatar, Egypt, South, Palestinian, Gulf

☆ Netanyahu must be removed, say top former Israeli national security officials
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —More than 40 senior former Israeli national security officials, celebrated scientists and prominent business leaders have sent a letter to Israel’s president and speaker of parliament demanding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be removed from office for posing what they say is an “existential” threat to the country. “The victim’s blood is on Netanyahu’s hands.”The letter was sent to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday and to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Friday. The frontrunner in the poll was the National Unity party led by former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, currently a member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet. Video Ad Feedback Backlash grows over Israel's Netanyahu seemingly ruling out a two-state solution. Netanyahu told a news conference last week that politicians who are asking him to step down are essentially asking for a Palestinian state.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Isaac Herzog, Amir Ohana, “, Moshe Ya’alon, Dan Halutz, Tamir Pardo, Danny Yatom, Nadav Argaman, Yaakov Peri, Shin, Aaron Ciechanover, Avram Hershko, Dan Shechtman, Benny Gantz, aren’t, Yair Lapid, ”, Haim Tomer, ” Tomer, Israel's Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Biden, Tomer, I’ve, ” Israel Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, “, Shin Bet, Israel’s, Likud, National Unity, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Mossad, International Court of Justice Locations: Israel, Iran, United States, Gaza, Qatar, Palestinian, South Africa

☆ Israel’s spy chief proposed letting Hamas leaders leave Gaza as part of broader ceasefire talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Israel has proposed that Hamas senior leaders could leave Gaza as part of a broader ceasefire agreement, two officials familiar with the ongoing international discussions told CNN. Senior Hamas officials are known to live in Doha, Qatar, and the Lebanese capital Beirut, among other places outside the Palestinian territories. That, combined with the “enormous pressure” on Netanyahu and his government to bring hostages home, Miller said, has created a situation where Israel would be willing to propose having Hamas leaders leave Gaza. While it’s unclear whether in private discussions Israel has named which Hamas leaders they would hope to leave Gaza, there is no bigger target than Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ top official in Gaza. Israel vows to hunt Hamas globallyIsrael has made no secret of its intention to continue hunting Hamas leaders long after the war is over.

Persons: CNN —, —, David Barnea, Antony Blinken, Brett McGurk, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ”, Aaron David Miller, Netanyahu, Miller, Jack Guez, Biden, Barnea, Bill Burns, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Blinken, David Barnea Gil Cohen, al, Yahya Sinwar, ” Netanyahu, Sinwar, Khan Younis, Mohammed Deif, Deif’s, Marwan Issa, Sinwar’s, Mohammed, Yahya Sinwar Mahmud Hams, Ofer Shelah, ” Shelah, we’ve, Shin Bet, ” Bar, Kan, ” Miller, “ Weeks Organizations: CNN, Hamas, US, Carnegie Endowment, International, Getty, Gaza Health Ministry, US CIA, Qatari, Magen, US State Department, CIA, Prime Minister’s, Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies Locations: CNN — Israel, Gaza, Israel, Doha, Qatar, Beirut, Palestinian, Warsaw, Egypt, Israeli, AFP, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, al Thani, Sinwar, Hamas, Lebanon, Turkey

That was apparent Monday, when a Houthi missile hit a US-owned cargo ship in the Red Sea, marking what appears to be the first time the militants have successfully struck a US-owned or operated ship. Senior Biden administration officials insist Friday’s operation against the Houthis was successful at its objective: degrading the group’s military capabilities. Houthi fighters and tribesmen stage a rally against the U.S. and the U.K. strikes on Houthi-run military sites near Sanaa, Yemen, on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. US officials fear one side will miscalculate, even if none of the major parties – Iran, Israel and the United States – want a wider war. The Suez Canal accounts for 10% to 15% of world trade, which includes oil exports, and for 30% of global container shipping volumes.

Persons: Biden, Israel simmers, John Kirby, Douglas Sims, ”, Mick Mulroy, Trump, Joe Biden, “ Organizations: CNN, US, Houthis, Biden, National Security, Pentagon, Joint Staff, New York Times, U.S, AP, United, Analysts, ABC News Locations: Yemen, Red, Sea, Gulf of Aden, Israel, Washington, Iran, Gaza, Africa, Suez, Red Sea, Gen, Sanaa, United States, Aden

Almost 16,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its campaign in October, following Hamas’ terror attack on Israel on October 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. Israel believes it has killed “several thousand” Hamas militants, an Israeli official said. Israeli officials have indicated that that is their intention, one of the officials said. Senior US officials have been careful not to publicly criticize Israel and are increasingly insisting that their strategy of counseling Israel to target Gaza more deliberately and surgically has delivered some results. “I do believe that they have listened,” Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters on Sunday when asked whether Israel is listening to the US.

Persons: Israel, Lloyd Austin, Austin, ”, Israel can’t, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, “, Kamala Harris, John Kirby Organizations: CNN, US, Israeli Defense Forces, Reagan National Defense Forum, Israel, Gaza Ministry, Health, Biden, National Security Council, Hezbollah, Senior, IDF, Israel Defense Forces, National Security Locations: Gaza, Israel, Lebanese, Iraq, Afghanistan

CNN —Friends and relatives gathered Monday to mourn the death of Yuval Castleman, the Israeli civilian who responded to a deadly terror attack in Jerusalem, shooting and killing the perpetrators before he himself was shot dead by an Israeli reservist soldier. Castleman, a former police officer, was driving to work Thursday when he saw two gunmen open fire at a bus stop in Jerusalem. A third person, an army reservist according to Israel’s military, appears to have mistaken Castleman for an attacker and began shooting at him. Bullets from one of the Israeli soldiers may have also struck Castleman, the IDF said. He was shouting ‘I’m an Israeli.’ He threw his wallet, his identification, on the way so they could see he’s an Israeli.

Persons: Yuval Castleman, ’, Castleman, “, ” Guy Itzkovich, Yuval, ”, ‘ I’m, Ronen Zvulun, Reuters Castleman, Moshe, “ Yuval, it’s, ” Moshe, ” Itzkovich, you’re, –, It’s, Daniel Hagari, Castleman’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, National Security Itamar Ben, Gvir Organizations: CNN, Reuters, Hamas, IDF, Israel Police, Tel, “, Ministry of National Security, National Security Locations: Jerusalem, Kiryat Tiv’on, Israel, Tel Aviv

☆ Fate of American hostages up in the air with little prospect of stalled hostage talks resuming soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Mj Lee | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The White House has said there is one American woman and seven men unaccounted for following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. The talks have stalled, and there does not appear to be any real prospects of those discussions starting back up any time soon, according to multiple senior administration officials. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday the US is doing “everything in our power” to get hostages released from Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that there are 136 hostages still being held in Gaza, including 17 women and children. It is unclear how many of those are being held by Hamas as opposed to other militant groups that operate in the territory.

Persons: ’, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, “, ” Israel, –, ”, Matt Miller, “ We’ve, they’ve, ” Miller, Israel, Gaza –, CNN’s Haley Britzky, Tamar Michaelis, Joshua Berlinger, Jack Forrest Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Hamas, Thai, United, Israel Defense Forces, Sunday, Nova, ” Locations: Gaza, American, Israel, Russian, Doha, Qatar, Egypt, United States

Hamas then proceeded to offer seven women and children, and three elderly people – also deemed unacceptable to the Israelis, one source said. Hamas ultimately waited until very close to the truce expiring to finally hand over a list that Israel accepted – eight new hostages, plus the two Israeli-Russians released on Wednesday, according to sources. There are now significant questions about whether the deal can survive another day or whether Israel will re-launch the fighting. Negotiators had believed before the two-day extension of the truce that Hamas would likely not be able to offer more women and children to stretch the pause beyond an eighth day. When Hamas is unable to release any more women and children alive, the understanding is that Israel will re-launch its military campaign, possibly as soon as this weekend.

Persons: Israel, –, I’ve, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Biden, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: Dubai CNN —, CNN, Hamas Locations: Washington, Dubai, Israel, Gaza, Jerusalem

☆ CIA director returns to Qatar for hostage talks with Israeli and Egyptian counterparts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —CIA Director Bill Burns visited Qatar on Tuesday for meetings with Qatari officials as well as his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts, according to multiple sources. “Director Burns traveled to Doha for meetings about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, including continued discussions on the hostages,” a US official said. Another person familiar with the trip said the CIA director would be joined in Doha by the director of Israel’s intelligence service Mossad, David Barnea, and the Director of Egyptian General Intelligence, Abbas Kamel. Burns’ trip to Qatar comes after the truce was extended by two days, and with Americans still missing in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack. The agreement was brokered by Qatar, which served as an intermediary between Hamas and Israel in negotiations with the close involvement of the US.

Persons: Bill Burns, Burns, ”, David Barnea, Abbas Kamel, Abigail Edan, Biden, Barnea, Brett McGurk Organizations: CNN, CIA, Doha, General Intelligence, Qatari, Qatar Locations: Qatar, Doha, Israel

Washington CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu grabbed Brett McGurk’s arm as he walked out of a tense meeting of the Israeli Cabinet over securing the release of hostages Hamas was holding in Gaza. Hamas – after refusing for days – had relented in offering identifying information about several dozen hostages, such as their age, gender and nationalities. It laid out how women and children would leave in the first phase, as well as incentives for Hamas to release more hostages beyond that. On October 24, Hamas appeared to agree to the parameters of a deal to release women and children hostages. Hamas would only guarantee 50 and refused to produce identifying information about the hostages.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Brett McGurk’s, ” Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Hamas –, –, – couldn’t, Biden –, Xi Jinping –, Biden, McGurk, Bill Burns, Natalie, Judith Raanan, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Stephanie Hallett, Natalie Raanan’s, Burns, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Ismail Haniyeh, Israel wasn’t, Israel, Blinken, David Barnea, ”, Matt Miller, John Kirby, Kirby, CNN’s Alex Marquardt Organizations: Washington CNN, Israeli, White, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, Al, CIA, Qatari, White House, State Department, CNN, State, National Security, US State Department Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, San Francisco, Qatar, Doha, Cairo, Hamas

CNN —Qatar is hoping to announce a deal as soon as Tuesday to release civilian hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 attack in exchange for a pause in fighting, according to a diplomatic source and another source familiar with the talks. US officials close to the negotiations stressed that while the deal is not done, they are increasingly optimistic and believe the many weeks of difficult work is about to pay off with a hostage release. Two Israeli sources said a deal could be announced as soon as Tuesday. The release of the prisoners needs to be approved by the Israeli government but isn’t expected to be an obstacle, one said. It was not immediately clear how many more – if any – American citizens would be among the 50 hostages that Hamas initially releases.

Persons: “, ”, Abigail Edan –, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Organizations: CNN —, CNN, American Locations: CNN — Qatar, Israel, Gaza

☆ Negotiations to free hostages held by Hamas are closer than ‘perhaps any point,’ White House official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Negotiations to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas are close and the disagreements among parties have narrowed amid intensive talks, deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said Sunday. US officials have been signaling for days that Israel and Hamas are moving closer to a deal to secure the release of hostages taken during the Hamas attacks on Israel in exchange for a sustained, days-long pause in fighting. Only a handful of hostages have been released so far since the start of the war. The negotiating parties – Israel, Hamas and the US, with Qatar mediating between them – have sought to work through a number of sticking points. And so, we don’t have perfect fidelity about exact numbers of hostages, including numbers who are still alive,” he said.

Persons: Jon, “, Jake Tapper, Joe Biden, – Israel, –, ”, we’re, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Kaitlan Collins, MJ Lee, Oren Liebermann Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Union, UN Locations: “ State, Israel, Qatar, Gaza, United States

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