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☆ Intelligence agencies, already anxious over Trump, find some solace in Ratcliffe pick for CIA
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Current and former officials also cautioned not to assume that the intelligence community is uniformly opposed to Trump. Ratcliffe was among a cohort of Trump officials who aggressively sought the release of intelligence related to Russia and the FBI. Telling Trump ‘war stories’Memories of the tumultuous first Trump administration remain fresh in the minds of many career officials. One senior intelligence official said some veterans in his office told “war stories” on the morning after the election. And some fear what they say is the relative inexperience in the intelligence community of the new CIA director.

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump, John Ratcliffe, Ratcliffe, ”, “, it’s, Kash Patel, Department of Defense Kash Patel, Justin Sullivan, Patel, Gina Haspel, —, William Barr, there’s, “ That’s, Bill Burns, National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Patrick Semansky, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Zachary Cohen Organizations: CNN, CIA, “, Trump, Officials, Trump ’, Republican, Staff, Department of Defense, FBI, ” Trump, White, House, National Intelligence, Marine Locations: Lago, Russia, Minden, Minden , Nevada, declassifying, ODNI, Florida, United States, Iran, Washington , DC, Iraq

Sirens sounded in central and northern Israel Saturday and the Israeli military continued to pummel Lebanon and Gaza, as cease-fire talks held this week yielded little hope of ending hostilities on the ground. The Israeli military bombed targets in Beirut's densely-populated southern suburbs overnight after warning residents to evacuate. It was the first time in several days that the area, a Hezbollah stronghold, had been hit. The Lebanese Health Ministry said 52 people were killed by the Israeli strikes, and 72 injured across the country on Friday. Health workers in Gaza told Reuters that at least 68 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours.

Persons: Israel, OMAR AL, Magen David Adom, Lior, Bill Burns, Abdel Fattah el, Hassan Rashad ., Brett McGurk, Amos Hochstein, Najib Mikati, Mikati, McGurk, Hochstein, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, United States “, General Mohammad Naeini, “, ” Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, United Nations, Hamas, Lebanese Health Ministry, . Health, Reuters, Getty, Iran’s, Iran ”, CIA, American, Friday Reuters, Iranian, United, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, Northern Gaza, ”, AFP, United States, Tira, Tel Aviv, Red Sea . U.S, Cairo, Iran, Fars, North Gaza

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati attends a press conference in Paris, France, on October 24. “We are doing our best and are optimistic that within the next few hours or days we will have a ceasefire,” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Wednesday in an interview with Lebanese media outlet Al Jadeed. Any progress at lowering temperatures in the region will be considered a win inside the White House. CIA Director Bill Burns was in Cairo on Thursday for discussions on Gaza and Lebanon, including a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Read more about the diplomatic push.

Persons: Najib Mikati, Sarah Meyssonnier, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Netanyahu, Biden, –, Bill Burns, Abdel Fattah El, Amos Hochstein, Brett McGurk, Hochstein Organizations: Reuters American, CIA, White Locations: Paris, France, Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, Cairo, Iran

☆ US makes final ceasefire push before election but doubts progress will be made in Gaza before next US president is known
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CIA Director Bill Burns was in Cairo on Thursday for discussions on Gaza and Lebanon, including a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The US envoys also met Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant to discuss “security arrangements” related to northern Israel, Lebanon and the return of hostages from Gaza. That makes it likely the war in Gaza will continue shadowing the US contest in its final days. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the opening of the 25th Parliament session in Jerusalem on October 28, 2024. The White House offered the same message; National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said purported drafts shared online do not reflect the current state of ceasefire talks.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Najib Mikati, Netanyahu, Biden, –, Bill Burns, Abdel Fattah El, Amos Hochstein, Brett McGurk, Hochstein, McGurk, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Kamala Harris ’, “, ” Harris, Debbie Hill, Harris, Burns, Yahya Sinwar, David Barnea, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Lebanon’s Mikati, Sean Savett, CNN’s Lauren Izso, Alex Marquardt, Mostafa Salem Organizations: CNN, American, CIA, White, “, University of Wisconsin -, Getty, Democratic, Hamas, Qatari, Hezbollah, White House, National Security Locations: Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, Cairo, Iran, Madison, University of Wisconsin - Madison, “, Jerusalem, AFP, United States, Qatar, Egypt, Doha, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, ” Israel

☆ CIA: Her case began the agency’s #MeToo movement. A jury found the man she accused of assault not guilty.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Victims’ rights advocates point out that women who come forward with allegations of sexual assault are often not believed. They took frequent walks around agency grounds, and Bayatpour testified that Cuda often seemed to be going through a hard time. Cuda testified that he told her, “This is what I want to do to you,” and leaned in to kiss her. Bayatpour told her he was in love, that he thought he had found the woman he was going to marry. “In the stairwell, I was thinking, I need to do something funny to break the mood,” Bayatpour told the jury.

Persons: Rachel Cuda, “, ”, Somebody’s, Elle, Ashkan Bayatpour, Cuda, ” Bayatpour, — “, Bayatpour, ‘, ’ Cuda, emoticons, ” Cuda, “ lmao, disentangled, Bayatpour “, —, Kevin Carroll, ” Carroll, Bill Burns Organizations: CNN, Capitol, CIA, Skype, Blue Angels, “, Civil Rights Locations: Fairfax County , Virginia, Virginia, Washington, Cuda

But during that time, Netanyahu was soliciting input from Trump, the Republican nominee. Trump claimed during a rally in Georgia that Netanyahu had called him at least twice in recent days. Trump’s allies also privately played up the Netanyahu-Trump phone calls as demonstrating that Netanyahu is seriously eyeing the possibility of a Trump victory. Still, the Biden administration is publicly signaling it hopes to advance efforts to bring the hostages home and to end a war that is threatening to tarnish Biden’s foreign policy legacy. Both Qatar and Egypt have reengaged with the group, which has not publicly named a new leader.

Persons: Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, Netanyahu –, Biden, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu, Trump, “ Bibi, ” Trump, “ We’re, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, “, Bibi, ”, Harris, stoke, Trump’s, Netanyahu didn’t, Biden demurred, ’, ” Biden, ” Blinken, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Sinwar, Khalil al, Khaled Mashal, Mousa Abu Marzook, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Trump, Republican, Democrat, White House, Netanyahu, East, Arab, CIA, Qatari Locations: Gaza, United States, Israel, Qatar, Doha, Washington , DC, Georgia, American, Washington, Michigan, Egypt

☆ Bob Woodward issues a stark warning on Trump weeks from Election Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

As has been the case for previous Woodward books, those who don’t come out well from his reporting publicly dismiss it. Woodward notes that neither Biden nor Trump spoke to him for this book, but he still got great access. It’s clear from a close reading of “War” that almost every top national security official in the Biden administration spoke with him. The Biden administration has halted the shipment of massive 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, but otherwise, the large flow of American weapons to the Jewish state continues. Coats told Woodward, “It’s still a mystery to me how he deals with Putin and what he says to Putin.

Persons: Bob Woodward, Woodward, ”, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Trump, Putin, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, “, Barack, ” Putin, Biden, CNN’s Jim Sciutto, it’s, Bush, ” Woodward, Robert Woodward, Nixon, Richard Nixon, … Trump, ” Biden, Bill Burns, Burns, Eric Green, Green “, ” Green, Here’s, Vadim Ghirda, Russia ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Brendan Smialowski, Yahya Sinwar, Netanyahu, ” —, ” Netanyahu, Antony Blinken’s, Blinken, hasn’t, Kamala Harris, Defense Lloyd Austin, Jake Sullivan, Harris, “ Tell Bibi, Anna Moneymaker, Joe, “ Bibi, Dan Coats, Coats, “ It’s, …, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, New York Times, Trump, White, Biden, United Nations, Pentagon, CIA, National Security, NATO, Ukraine, Turks, Russia, West Bank, Gaza Health Ministry, Israel, UN, Getty, Hamas, US, Brown University, Defense, ”, Prince George’s Community College, Intelligence Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Crimea, Afghanistan, Gaza, Russia, Woodward, Kyiv, Sweden, Finland, Kursk, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Tel Aviv, AFP, Iran, Rafah, Largo , Maryland, Scranton, Delaware

☆ CIA struggles with its own ‘Me Too’ moment as allegations of sexual assault spill into the open
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

In September, a federal judge in Washington, DC, sentenced a former CIA officer to 30 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting dozens of women. A stream of female whistleblowers has gone to Capitol Hill recently to testify behind closed doors to congressional oversight committees about other allegations of sexual assault and harassment at the CIA. “I do think the culture part is going to be the hardest and will take the longest,” said a senior CIA officer. CIA facing egregious allegationsThe Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) headquarters are pictured in Langley, Virginia, on July 8, 2022. The results are also being publicized internally at a moment when the CIA is facing a handful of particularly egregious allegations.

Persons: Maura Burns, ”, Samuel Corum, Laura Palumbo, Bill Burns –, Bill Burns Saul Loeb, “, —, Palumbo, ‘, Taleeta Jackson, Burns, ’ ”, “ There’s, Daniella Sparks, Jackson Organizations: CNN, CIA, Capitol, Central Intelligence Agency, Getty, Violence, Center, Prevention, Commission, Threat Management Locations: Virginia, Washington, Washington , DC, Langley , Virginia, AFP, Europe

Ukraine has asked for both systems repeatedly, another source familiar with their requests said. Cavoli’s list does not address why the US hasn’t provided systems that he assesses would be of value. Nearly three years into the war, the Ukrainians are still pleading with the US to provide more advanced weaponry and lift restrictions on how long-range missile systems provided by the US can be used. Biden, who has to date prohibited the Ukrainians from deploying the missile systems for deep strikes into Russia, was not entirely dismissive of the request, the sources said. Officials also argue that that the US’ limited supply of long-range ATACMS systems are better used against targets in Crimea.

Persons: Biden, Chris Cavoli, Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Zelensky, “ Trump, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Putin “, Bill Burns Organizations: CNN, NATO, Biden, Joint, US, White House, Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Pentagon, Kremlin, CIA Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Zelensky’s, Germany, Crimea, Sea Island , Georgia

Simon & Schuster“That fucking Putin,” Biden said to advisers in the Oval Office not long after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Woodward. “This is what Putin plans to do,” CIA Director Bill Burns said to Biden, according to Woodward. Woodward asked Trump aide Jason Miller whether Trump and Putin had spoken since he left the White House. I wouldn’t purport to speak to what President Trump may or may not have done,” Haines said, according to Woodward. As Trump framed his presidential campaign around fear, Woodward writes that Graham said of the former president: “Trump is becoming more erratic.

Persons: CNN —, Bob Woodward, Joe Biden’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Bibi Netanyahu, he’s, ” Biden, Woodward, Simon, Schuster, Putin, “ Putin, ”, Donald Trump’s, Putin –, Trump, Biden, Netanyahu, Hunter Biden’s, – Woodward, – Biden, “, General Merrick Garland, Barack Obama’s, Barack, ’ Woodward, ” Woodward, Joe Biden, Brendan Smialowski, —, Bill Burns, I’ve, Putin “, Volodymyr Zelensky, Kamala Harris, Harris, Zelensky, Alex Wong, Jake Sullivan, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, Sergei Shoigu, ” Shoigu, “ Mr, ” Colin Kahl, Abbott, Putin —, Covid —, ” Putin, ” Trump, Donald Trump, Trump’s, Jason Miller, ” Miller, National Intelligence Avril Haines “, ” Haines, ‘ Trump, Sen, Lindsey Graham, ” Graham, Biden “, “ You’ve, you’ve, ” “, Graham, “ Trump, ” ‘ Bibi, Israel, ” Netanyahu, “ Bibi, ’ ” Biden, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, State Anthony Blinken, Blinken, Antony Blinken, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Evelyn Hockstein, Woodard, bin Salman, JAKE SULLIVAN, ” ‘, Garland ’, George W, Bush, Obama, Merrick Garland, ” Bush, Garland, Hunter Biden, “ Hunter, Biden —, ” Blinken, You’ve, that’s, Kevin Dietsch, ” Harris, Joe Manchin Organizations: CNN, Trump, Putin, White House, Villa, Grange, Getty, CIA, Munich Security Conference, ”, White, Pentagon, Russia, National Intelligence, South Carolina Republican, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, State, MBS, Saudi Crown, South, Saudi, “ TRUMP, Biden, intel, Justice Department, Democratic Party, Democratic, Democratic National Convention, United Center Locations: Gaza, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Crimea, Russia, Geneva, AFP, “, Washington , DC, Russian, United States, Helsinki, North Korea, ”, Israel, Rafah, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Beirut, Ula, Saudi, Palestinian, South Carolina, Chicago

We’ve had challenges getting the prime minister across the line. “We stay up nights trying to figure out a way to get across the line on this ceasefire and hostage deal. And we have spoken out directly about our concern when we’ve seen the prime minister not take steps that we think are necessary to get to that deal,” he said. Vice President Kamala Harris has frequently cited the importance of reaching a ceasefire and hostage deal but hasn’t detailed any new approach in reaching an agreement. “Ultimately the thing that is going to unlock everything else in that region is getting this deal done,” she said last week.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, State James Baker, George Mitchell’s, “, ”, Bill Burns, Antony Blinken, Brett McGurk –, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, We’ve, we’re, Jake Sullivan, we’ve, Sinwar, they’re, it’ll, Kamala Harris, “ I’m, I’ve, Yahya Sinwar Organizations: CNN, Hamas, State, United Nations, State Department, CIA, MSNBC, UN Locations: Gaza, Lebanon, East, Northern Ireland, New York, Israel, United States, American, Saudi Arabia

☆ Putin issues nuclear warning to the West over strikes on Russia from Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

MOSCOW Reuters —President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Wednesday that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it was struck with conventional missiles, and that Moscow would consider any assault on it supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack. The 71-year-old Kremlin chief, the primary decision-maker on Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal, said he wanted to underscore one key change in particular. Russia reserved the right to also use nuclear weapons if it or ally Belarus were the subject of aggression, including by conventional weapons, Putin said. Putin said the clarifications were carefully calibrated and commensurate with the modern military threats facing Russia – confirmation that the nuclear doctrine was changing. Russia’s current published nuclear doctrine, set out in a 2020 decree by Putin, says Russia may use nuclear weapons in case of a nuclear attack by an enemy or a conventional attack that threatens the existence of the state.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, ” Putin, Bill Burns, Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv’s, Zelensky, ” Andriy Yermak, Joe Biden, Donald Trump Organizations: MOSCOW Reuters, West, Russia’s Security, Kremlin, Russian Federation, Central Intelligence Agency, Cuban Missile, Ukraine, Republican Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, Moscow, United States, Britain, Ukraine, Belarus, Russian, NATO

☆ Blinken heads to Egypt but not Israel with prospects for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal bleak
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

This is the first time since the October 7 attacks that Blinken has visited the Middle East without visiting Israel. The top US diplomat typically uses the visits to Israel to press the Israeli government on the critical issues surrounding the war, including the hostage and ceasefire deal. However, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frequently rebuffed the administration in the hours and days following those meetings. The last time Blinken visited Israel, he said that Netanyahu had agreed to the “bridging proposal” meant to close to close the remaining gaps with Hamas. Blinken said earlier this month that “it’s incumbent on both parties” – Israel and Hamas – “to get to yes” on the “remaining issues” related to a ceasefire and hostage deal.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Badr Abdelatty, Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, ” Thomas, ”, Bill Burns, – Netanyahu, ” –, – “, Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah, Biden, we’ll, John Kirby Organizations: CNN, Israel, State Department, Egyptian Foreign, United Nations, Hamas, Biden, Egyptian, Qatari, Security Locations: Egypt, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Qatar, Washington, ” – Israel, Lebanese

☆ Ukraine’s Kursk offensive was seen as a success but it had a cost
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | Kostya Gak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Kyiv launched its surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region last month, taking Moscow by surprise and quickly advancing some 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the border. A group of Ukrainian soldiers rest in a village near the Russian border after taking part in Ukraine’s operation in Kursk. Ivana Kottasova/CNNUkrainian officials said Moscow has sent some 30,000 troops into the Kursk region. But they are finding the service doesn’t work at all in certain parts of the Kursk region. (AP Photo) Efrem Lukatsky/APA group of Ukrainian soldiers rests after completing a long mission in Russia's Kursk region.

Persons: Ukraine CNN — Vasyl, Vasyl –, –, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, ” Vasyl, Ivana Kottasova, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Ramzan Kadyrov, Akhmat, Ukraine's “ Nightingale, Vasyl, Don’t, ” Dmytro, Ukrainian –, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelensky, Bill Burns, ” Burns, Fin, Chasiv Yar, “, sapper, Efrem, Kholod, ” Kholod, ’ ” Vasyl, “ I’m Organizations: Ukraine CNN, CNN, Kyiv, Ukraine’s, Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian, Wagner, Military Company, Chechen, Ukrainian Nightingale, Institute for, Kremlin, Western, CIA, APC, Ukrainian Defense Ministry Locations: Sumy, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia’s Kursk, Moscow, Russia, ”, Kursk, Russian, West Africa, US, Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk, Crimea, London, Sudzha, Russia's Kursk, Pokrovsk

☆ Kursk: Russia counterattacks against Ukraine in border region
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Gul Tuysuz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Russia has launched a counter-attack in the Kursk border region where Ukrainian forces last month launched a surprise cross-border incursion. Ukraine has been anticipating a Russian reaction and a counteroffensive is in line with the ‘Ukrainian plan,’ Zelensky said. Zelensky has previously said that the surprise attack on Russia’s Kursk region was the initial step in a four-part “victory plan.”The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday that Russian forces had “penetrated” into the Kursk region, capturing 10 settlements. On August 6, Ukrainian forces stormed into the Kursk region in a shock, lightning strike that caught even American officials by surprise. Last week, Zelensky said Ukraine had captured around 100 settlements in the Kursk region, and around 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of territory.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, ’ Zelensky, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, –, Bill Burns, Richard Moore, Ukraine’s, Moore, Burns, Cross, Pat Griffith, Dmytro Lubinets, ” Zelensky, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian, Russian Ministry of Defense, CIA, Red Cross, International Committee, ICRC, ” ICRC Ukraine Locations: Russia, Kursk, Ukraine, Russia’s Kursk, ”, Russian, Snagost, Moscow, Ukrainian, Donetsk region, Donetsk

☆ CIA director saw ‘genuine risk’ of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons early in Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-07 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

CIA Director Bill Burns testifies next to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines during a House (Select) Intelligence Committee hearing on diversity in the intelligence community, on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 27, 2021. CIA Director William Burns believed there was a real risk in the fall of 2022 that Russia could use nuclear weapons on the battlefield against Ukraine, though he said the West should not be intimidated by Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats. "There was a moment in the fall of 2022 when I think there was a genuine risk of the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons," Burns said. In the more than two years since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has regularly signaled that it would consider using nuclear weapons in the war. It allows the use of nuclear weapons in response to an attack with nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction against Russia or its allies, as well as a conventional attack that threatens the existence of the Russian state.

Persons: Bill Burns, National Intelligence Avril Haines, William Burns, Vladimir Putin's, Burns, Richard Moore, Joe Biden's, Sergey Naryshkin, We've, Putin, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov Organizations: National Intelligence, Capitol, CIA, Financial, Kremlin Locations: Washington, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Russia's Kursk, Kursk

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has poured cold water on US hopefulness, though Biden officials have largely refrained from criticizing him. “In my view, the less that’s said about particular issues, the better,” a senior administration official told reporters Wednesday in response to Netanyahu’s press conference. Days later, a senior administration official who briefed reporters argued that the majority of the details of a ceasefire deal – “90%” – had been agreed to by the two parties. In a detail not previously shared, the senior official said that of the 18 paragraphs in the agreement, 14 were finished and agreed to. They need to rest and refit, in case a war in the north [with Hezbollah] is going to happen,” the second senior administration official said.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Yahya Sinwar, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, “, ”, Itamar, Ben, Antony Blinken, ” –, – “, Feedback Netanyahu, CNN Biden ‘, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, it’s, Israel, Haniyeh, Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh’s, —, ” Biden, –, Bill Burns, I’ve, John Kirby, “ I’m, ” Kirby Organizations: CNN, Hamas, CIA, Defense Ministry, IDF, White House Locations: Gaza, Israel, ” – Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Tehran, London, White

☆ Even if a Gaza ceasefire is agreed, Israel has made clear it reserves the right to resume the war with Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Months of feverish negotiations, in different cities and at multiple levels, have gotten Israel and Hamas closer to striking a ceasefire deal. “But we are committed to continue the war after the pause in order to achieve the goal of destroying Hamas. It essentially allows Israel – and Hamas – to abandon discussions after the six-week first phase and resume the war. Far-right members of his cabinet have blasted any ceasefire agreement while Israeli reports cite security officials who accuse Netanyahu of sabotaging the negotiations. Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was visiting Israel, said Netanyahu had agreed to the proposal while Hamas had not yet.

Persons: Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s, Israel –, –, Netanyahu, Riki Baruch, ”, it’s, John Kirby, “, Joe Biden, Biden, Qatar –, Yahya Sinwar, Bill Burns, Antony Blinken, Sinwar, ” CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: CNN, Israel, National Security, Hamas, Islamic, IDF, ”, CIA, Biden, American Locations: Israel, Gaza, Cairo, Palestinian, Egypt, Qatar, Israeli, Israel’s, American, Doha, Iran, Lebanon, Beirut, Tehran

The Russian officials took the proposal back to Moscow. It was a remarkably swift conclusion to years of painstaking negotiations between the US and more than half a dozen countries. Key to the deal was President Biden’s ability to persuade German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to release Krasikov, the Russian prisoner most keenly sought by Putin. Officials worked quietly throughout this year to get the German government to agree to release Krasikov — including entreaties from both Biden and Harris. President Biden sent a letter to Scholz in April, and the Germans at last agreed to release Krasikov in early June.

Persons: CNN —, Vadim Krasikov, who’d, who’s, Vladimir Putin, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Bill Burns, Gershkovich, Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Kurmasheva, Joe Biden, Biden, Kamala Harris, Serdar Ozsoy, Biden’s, Olaf Scholz, Putin, Krasikov, Brittney Griner, Burns, –, Viktor Bout, Alexey Navalny, Brendan Smialowski, Antony Blinken, James Rubin, Blinken, Annalena Baerbock, Jake Sullivan, Harris, Scholz, “ Chancellor Scholz, “, Jake, ‘, ’, Sullivan, Navalny, Paul, Evan, ”, Ronald Wittek, Kara, Robert Golob, Kurmasheva’s, Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Carstens, Jeff Flake, ” Flake, Flake, ” Sullivan Organizations: CNN, CIA, Wall Street, White, Base Andrews, Aircraft, Ankara Esenboga Airport, US Marine, WNBA, State Department, National Security Council, Krasikov, Getty, German, National, Biden, Munich, Conference, US, Munich Security, Aspen Security, Street, Hostage Affairs Locations: Eastern, Russia, Russian, Berlin, Moscow, American, Turkey, Ankara, Chechen, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Washington , DC, AFP, Germany, ”, Munich, Washington, Slovenian, Mordovia, “

☆ Iran says Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Hamas said Haniyeh was killed "in a Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of Iran's new president." Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said early Wednesday, and Hamas blamed Israel for the attack. Hamas officials did not immediately respond to requests for further comment. In April, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three of Haniyeh's sons and four of his grandchildren. Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, along with other Hamas officials and officials from Hezbollah and allied groups.

Persons: Ismail Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Ismail Haniyeh, Israel, Sinwar, Masoud Pezeshkian's, Fouad Shukur, Shukur, Biden, Bill Burns, Brett McGurk, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Organizations: Revolutionary Guard, Al, Israel, Guard, CIA, White, Hamas, Gaza Health Ministry Locations: Tehran, Israeli, Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Qatar, Al Jazeera, Iran, Beirut, Lebanese, U.S, Rome, East, North Africa

☆ CIA Director Bill Burns says Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is facing growing pressure from his own commanders to end Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The CIA has assessed that the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, is coming under increased pressure from his own military commanders to accept a ceasefire deal and end the war with Israel, CIA Director Bill Burns told a closed-door conference on Saturday, according to a source who attended. The increased pressure on Sinwar comes as Hamas and Israel have agreed to a framework deal that that President Joe Biden laid out at the end of May. That’s what US officials have said is being used as the basis to an agreement to end the fighting. Of the three most senior Hamas leaders in Gaza, Israel is believed to have found and killed just one: Marwan Issa, the second in command of the military wing. There are still “tough issues to resolve,” a source familiar with the talks told CNN after Burns’ meetings in Doha.

Persons: Yahya Sinwar, Bill Burns, Burns, Khan Younis, Burns –, Biden, –, Joe Biden, Saturday Burns, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Biden, ”, Marwan Issa, Mohammed Deif, Deif, Israel, Netanyahu, there’s “ Organizations: CNN, CIA, Sinwar, Hamas, Allen & Company, titans, Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israel, Associated Press Locations: Gaza, Israel, Sun Valley , Idaho, That’s, Qatar, Egypt, Israeli, Tel Aviv, Sinwar, Doha

Washington CNN —American officials are hoping to gain a better understanding of Israel’s war plans in meetings this week with the country’s defense minister, who arrived in Washington as the rift widened between the Biden administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We will not end the war until we return all of our hostages – 120 hostages, the living and the deceased. Netanyahu said that once the “intense phase” of the Gaza conflict is over Israel will continue “mowing the grass” in Gaza, which US officials oppose. But Netanyahu ignored the demand from his defense minister, refusing to make such a public statement. And former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who resigned from a unity government with Netanyahu two weeks ago, accused Israel’s longest-serving leader of putting political considerations ahead of a post-war strategy.

Persons: Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, ”, —, that’s, Matt Miller, Gallant, Bill Burns, Amos Hochstein, ” Gallant, Benny Gantz, Israel’s, Israel, Lloyd Austin, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Miller, “ vexing, “ Organizations: Washington CNN —, Biden, CIA, Defense, National, State Department, White, Washington Locations: Washington, Gaza, Israel, United States, ”, Lebanon

Biden administration officials have discussed potentially negotiating a unilateral deal with Hamas to secure the release of five Americans being held hostage in Gaza if current cease-fire talks involving Israel fail, according to two current senior U.S. officials and two former senior U.S. officials. The Biden administration has said it believes Hamas is holding five American hostages who were abducted during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. The officials did not know what the U.S. might give Hamas in exchange for the release of American hostages. Earlier this week, Israeli officials estimated that some 120 hostages are still being held by Hamas and that 43 of them have died in captivity. Over the weekend, four Israeli hostages kidnapped from the Nova music festival were rescued in an operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces.

Persons: Biden, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Alexander, Sagui Dekel, Chen, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, Omer Neutra, Keith Siegel, Itay Chen, Judy Weinstein, Gad Haggai, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, Brett McGurk Organizations: Hamas, U.S, Qatari interlocutors, White, Nova, Israel Defense Forces, NBC News, National, CIA Locations: Gaza, New York City , New York, Israel, Qatari, U.S

☆ Blinken to travel to Middle East as US ratchets up pressure on ceasefire and hostage proposal
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The top US diplomat “will emphasize the importance of Hamas accepting the proposal on the table, which is nearly identical to one Hamas endorsed last month,” Miller said. Hamas has not yet put forward a formal response to the proposal, which was transmitted to Hamas’ political wing by the Qataris last Thursday. “We would hope for a response from Hamas as soon as possible, and we continue to wait,” Miller said at a press briefing Thursday. The top US diplomat has held a slew of calls to regional partners to discuss the proposal. Miller said on Wednesday that the US has seen both Egypt and Qatar “exert significant pressure on Hamas,” but he refused to get into the details of those separate pressure campaigns.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Matthew Miller, “, ” Miller, ”, Joe Biden, Bill Burns, Brett McGurk, Biden, Qatar –, –, Miller Organizations: CNN, ”, Hamas, CIA, US, Qatar, United Nations Locations: United, Gaza, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey

☆ Gaza ceasefire deal: Hamas and Israel urged to ‘close this deal’ by US and 16 other countries whose citizens were taken hostage
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“It is time for the war to end,” the statement, shared with CNN, bluntly says. We call on Hamas to close this agreement, that Israel is ready to move forward with, and begin the process of releasing our citizens,” the statement says. Those 17 countries have citizens whom Hamas took captive at the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Immediately after Biden detailed the Israeli proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that his country would not end the war until Hamas was defeated. Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, convened for the first time last month an in-person meeting of ambassadors and chiefs of mission representing countries whose citizens were taken hostage by Hamas, CNN reported, at a moment when a deal was stalled.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, “, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Bill Burns, Brett McGurk Organizations: CNN, Biden, United, Hamas, Qatar –, Senior, CIA, White Locations: United States, Israel, Gaza, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, Washington, Egypt, Qatar

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