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☆ 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

☆ Coco Gauff says she was ‘fueled’ by a lengthy argument with umpire during victory in Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —American Coco Gauff said that she was “fueled” by a heated exchange with the umpire during her 2-6 6-4 6-3 victory against Karolína Plíšková at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday. Her first serve at deuce was initially called out by chair umpire Pierre Bacchi, but the world No. Gauff engages in a heated exchange with chair umpire Pierre Bacchi. In the end, Gauff replayed the point, then went on to win the game and the set. Amr Alfiky/Reuters“I think it just fueled me,” US Open champion Gauff said about the argument with the umpire in the second set, according to Reuters.

Persons: Coco Gauff, Karolína Plíšková, Gauff, deuce, Pierre Bacchi, Bacchi, Plíšková, Amr Alfiky, Reuters “, ”, “ I’ve, Andy Roddick, Pliskova, “ It’s, Anna Kalinskaya, Kateřina Siniaková Organizations: CNN, Dubai Tennis, Reuters, WTA Tour, International Tennis Federation, Qatar Locations: Dubai, Auckland, Doha

☆ 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

☆ Israel's Six-Week Drive to Hit Hamas in Rafah and Scale Back War
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +10 min

Gaza's ruling group can keep fighting and is prepared for a long war in Rafah and Gaza, said the official, who requested anonymity. A senior regional security official said Israel believed some Hamas commanders and hostages were in Rafah. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron also told lawmakers that Britain and its allies "will look at the issue of recognising a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations". Yet for Netanyahu and many other Israeli officials, talk of a two-state solution amounts to a betrayal of the people killed on Oct. 7. "I say clearly to anyone still stuck in October 6: We will never lend a hand to the creation of a Palestinian state," Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar said on social media last month.

Persons: Samia Nakhoul, Jonathan Saul, Humeyra Pamuk, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Avi Melamed, Yoav Gallant, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Biden, Gaza's, hasn't, Israel . Fighting, Khan Younis, Emad Joudat, Gallant, Israel, Yahya Sinwar, Antony Blinken, Washington, David Cameron, Britain haven't, Miki Zohar, Dan Williams, Nidal Al Mughrabi, Andrew Hay, Jeff Mason, Pravin Char Organizations: Humeyra Pamuk DOHA, Reuters, Military, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Israeli, America, . Senior, Palestinian Authority, State Department, Israel, United Nations Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, Washington, Qatar, RAFAH, Hamas, Khan, Gaza City, Egypt, Cairo, U.S, Palestinian, Britain, Palestine, Doha, London, Jerusalem

☆ Israeli swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko booed after runner-up finish at World Aquatics Championships
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Homero De La Fuente | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Israeli swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko was met with jeers from the crowd after placing second in the women’s 400-meter individual medley at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday. The 20-year-old, whose parents are from Ukraine but was born and raised in Israel, captured her first ever medal at the World Aquatics Championships after finishing with a time of 4:37.36. Gorbenko competes in the heats of the 400-meter individual medley event at the world championships. World Aquatics did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. “I’m here to represent my country … And I’m doing this with the Israeli flag and I’m proud of that.

Persons: Anastasia Gorbenko, jeers, Gorbenko, “ I’m, ” Gorbenko, Manan Vatsyayana, ” Britain’s Freya Colbert, Italy’s Sara Franceschi, “ I’ve, “, it’s Organizations: CNN, Israel, Getty, Reuters, Palestine Locations: Doha, Qatar, Ukraine, Israel, AFP, Gaza

☆ Palestino: Chilean soccer club, founded by Palestinian immigrants, gifts jersey to journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Al-Dahdouh found out the news while on-air and returned to air less than 24 hours after his family was killed. Israeli offensives on Gaza since October 7 have killed at least 28,576, the Ministry of Health in Hamas-controlled Gaza said earlier this week. “Renowned Palestinian journalist, Wael Al-Dahdouh, received our team shirt with the map of Historic Palestine,” Palestino wrote on Instagram. But more importantly to its fans and the Palestinian community, has been a consistent voice for the Palestinian cause. The club also helped to organize a demonstration in Santiago’s Plaza de la Constitución in the days after Israel’s offensive began.

Persons: Wael Al, ”, Dahdouh, Al, Al Jazeera, Samer Abu Daqqa, “, ” Palestino, Wael, Mutaz Al Nazer, Palestino Organizations: CNN, Chilean, Palestino, Ministry of Health, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Al, Arab Center Doha Locations: Palestinian, Al Jazeera’s Gaza, Israeli, Gaza, Al, Qatar, Palestine, Chile, Israel, Cisterna, Santiago’s

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghan women feel scared or unsafe leaving their home alone because of Taliban decrees and enforcement campaigns on clothing and male guardians, according to a report from the U.N. mission in Afghanistan. The U.N. mission’s report, published Friday, said the decrees are being enforced through arrest, harassment and intimidation. Photos You Should See View All 33 ImagesOver half of the women interviewed for the report felt unsafe leaving the house without a male guardian, or mahram. Some women said that male relatives were also afraid and reluctant to leave the home with female relatives, as this would expose them to Taliban harassment. It seemed to be a specific goal of the Taliban to frighten women and girls out of leaving their homes, Barr said.

Persons: Heather Barr, Barr Organizations: Qatari, Doha, Virtue Ministry, Human Rights, Associated Press Locations: ISLAMABAD, Afghanistan, Doha

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Marrit Steenbergen won gold for the Netherlands in the women's 100-meter freestyle Friday at the World Aquatics Championships. “The back half is my specialty,” said Steenbergen, who also was part of the winning Dutch team in the 4x100 freestyle relay. World record-holder Sarah Sjöström of Sweden is at the championships but withdrew from the 100 free before the preliminaries. The Americans, who are three-time reigning Olympic champions, bounced back from a quarterfinal loss at last year’s world championships in Fukuoka. Hungary came up just short of its first women's world title since 2005.

Persons: Marrit Steenbergen, Siobhán Haughey, Hong Kong, Steenbergen, “, ”, Haughey, Jack, Kate Douglass, ” Haughey, Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan, Sarah Sjöström, Rachel Fattal, Ashleigh Johnson, ___ Organizations: Paris, Dutch, Doha, United, Olympic, Greece Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Netherlands, Hong, Fukuoka, Australia, Sweden, United States, Hungary, Fukuoka . Hungary, Spain

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The United States held off Hungary 8-7 on Friday to capture the women’s water polo title for the fifth time in the last six championships and eighth time overall. Rachel Fattal scored three goals and goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson made 10 saves to lead the Americans, who are three-time reigning Olympic champions. The U.S. bounced back from a quarterfinal loss at last year’s world championships in Fukuoka. Rallying from an 8-5 deficit in the final quarter, Hungary came up just short of its first women’s world title since 2005. ___Photos You Should See View All 33 Images

Persons: Rachel Fattal, Ashleigh Johnson Organizations: Olympic, U.S, Greece Locations: DOHA, Qatar, United States, Hungary, Fukuoka, Spain

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — China's Pan Zhanle backed up his world record in the swimming relays by winning the men's 100-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships on Thursday. The 19-year-old Pan swam the fastest 100 in history with a time of 46.80 seconds in the lead-off leg of China’s gold medal-winning 4x100 relay team. HIGH DIVINGWith a huge final dive, Britain's Aidan Heslop claimed the men's title off the 27-meter tower at Doha Old Port. WATER POLOCroatia advanced to the Saturday championship in men's water polo with a 17-16 semifinal victory over France on penalties. Italy claimed the other spot in the final with an 8-6 victory over Spain.

Persons: Zhanle, Pan, didn't, ” Pan, let's, ”, Caeleb Dressel, Kyle Chalmers, Alessandro Miressi, Hungary's Nandor Nemeth, Britain's Laura Stephens, Helena Rosendahl Bach, Lana Pudar, Rachel Klinker, ” Stephens, “, Sarah Sjöström, Swede, Aidan Heslop, France's Gary Hunt, Catalin, Petru Preda, James Lichtenstein, Heslop, you’ve, ” Heslop, ___ Organizations: Paris, Olympic, Doha, Doha Old Port, Croatia Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Paris, Australia, Italy, Denmark, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Doha, United States, France, Croatia, Spain

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

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Siobhán Haughey of Hong Kong captured her first long-course world title, winning the women's 200-meter freestyle Wednesday at the World Aquatics Championships. Haughey, a three-time champion at the short-course worlds, finally touched first in the big pool after years of close calls. She was the Olympic silver medalist in both the 100 and 200 free at the Tokyo Games, in addition to a runner-up finish in the 100 free at last summer's world championships in Fukuoka. Also, Haughey finished fourth in the 200 free — just off the podium — at both the 2019 and 2023 worlds. “I really wanted to win this one,” said Wiffen, the short-course world record holder in the 800 free.

Persons: — Siobhán Haughey, Hong, Haughey, “, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, ”, Wiffen, Mollie O'Callaghan, Ariarne Titmus, Zealand's Erika Fairweather, Brianna Throssell, Elijah Winnington of, Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri —, Iffland, Molly Carlson, Jessica Macauley, Kaylea Arnett, France's Gary Hunt, ___ Organizations: Tokyo Games, Paris Olympics, Doha, Australia, Doha Old Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Hong Kong, Fukuoka, “ Paris, Paris, Elijah Winnington of Australia, Doha, Doha Old Port, Canada

☆ I flew on the world's best business class that can cost over $8,500 for a round trip. Here's what it was like.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Kaila Yu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I used points from credit-card bonuses to pay for an $8,605 business-class flight on Qatar Airways. AdvertisementBut it was all worth it — I enjoyed my Qatar Airways flight even more than my first trip to Spain. Kaila YuI had been looking forward to Qatar Airway's business class because of the Qsuite, which comes with a bed and a flight attendant on call. Kaila YuI got dinner shortly after takeoff through the on-demand menu, which you can order from at any time. Kaila YuI also appreciated never having to wait in line for the bathroom, which is a huge pet peeve of mine in economy class.

Persons: —, Kaila Yu, Kaila Yu I, Yu Organizations: Qatar Airways, Service, Castello Monte Locations: Spain, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Doha, Qatar, Castello, Vecchio, earplugs

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With some of America's biggest stars deciding to stay home, Claire Curzan and Hunter Armstrong claimed the spotlight at the World Aquatics Championships on Tuesday. Curzan won gold in the women's 100-meter backstroke at the Aspire Dome, while Armstrong followed just a few minutes later with a victory in the men's 100 back. The 19-year-old Curzan, who competes at the University of Virginia, claimed the first individual world title of her burgeoning career. After settling for bronze in the 100 back at the last two world championships, the Ohio native now has a gold. Hobson, part of a scaled-back team for these world championships, gave himself a big boost with the Paris Olympics just five months away.

Persons: Claire Curzan, Hunter Armstrong, Curzan, Armstrong, Simona Quadarella, Italy romped, Hwang Sun, Kaylee McKeown, Regan Smith, Iona Anderson, Canada's Ingrid Wilm, ” Curzan, ” Armstrong, “, Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Ryan Murphy, Quadarella, Katie Ledecky, Ledecky, Li Bingjie, Isabel Gose, Hwang, Luke Hobson, Danas Rapsys, Hobson, ”, Kim Woo Organizations: University of Virginia, Paris, Cal, Doha, Ledecky, Olympic, Paris Olympics, University of Texas Locations: DOHA, Qatar, U.S, Doha, Italy, South Korea, Fukuoka, Ohio, Paris, Quadarella, China, Germany, Nevada

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, two Israeli hostages rescued as dozens of Palestinians killed in Rafah
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Mahmoud Abbas during a meeting in Amman, Jordan, on October 17, 2023. Jacquelyn Martin/AP/FilePalestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas arrived on Sunday in Doha, Qatar, which has been a key mediator in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas. The Palestinian Authority is a government body with limited self-rule in the West Bank. The visit comes as CIA director Bill Burns is expected to travel to Cairo for a Tuesday meeting to push for a hostage release deal, according to two sources familiar with the plans. One of the sources said Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Israel's Mossad Director David Barnea are also expected to be in attendance.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Jacquelyn Martin, Abbas, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Bill Burns, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, David Barnea Organizations: Palestinian, West Bank, Qatari Locations: Amman, Jordan, Doha, Qatar, Israel, Cairo, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al, Thani

☆ Pan Zhanle: Chinese teenager breaks 100m freestyle world record at World Championships
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —China’s 19-year-old swimming phenom, Pan Zhanle, recorded the fastest 100 meters in history on Sunday as he smashed the men’s freestyle world record and established himself as the pacesetter ahead of the forthcoming Paris Olympics. “Breaking the world record just came naturally. Chinese men's 4x100 meter freestyle world championship gold medallists Wang Haoyu, Zhang Zhanshuo, Ji Xinjie and Pan Zhanle. Ian MacNicol/Getty ImagesPan is the first Chinese male to hold the world record in the event. The two other Chinese world record holders in history are Zhang Lin, whose 800m freestyle swim from 2009 still stands, while controversial compatriot Sun Yang has held the 1,500m freestyle since 2012.

Persons: CNN —, Pan Zhanle, Pan, David Popovici, –, “, ” Pan, Wang Haoyu, Zhang Zhanshuo, Ji Xinjie, Zhanle, Ian MacNicol, Zhang, Qin Haiyan, Zhang Lin, Sun Yang Organizations: CNN Locations: Paris, Doha, Romanian, Zhejiang, Fukuoka, Japan, China, Italy

☆ 100-year-old performs exhibition dive at the 2024 Doha World Championships ahead of World Aquatics Masters Championships
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Fast forward to 2024 and his exhibition dive at the 2024 World Championships in Doha on Friday marked two weeks until the World Aquatics Masters Championships where he will be the oldest competitor. Taghi Askari won medals at the Asian Games and national titles in Iran. World AquaticsIt ignited a lifelong love of diving for him, and he went on to win medals at the Asian Games and national titles. “When I was competing at a national level the last championships I did was when I was 41 years old,” he said. The Iranian will be among the competitors at the World Aquatics Masters Championships – a competition held shortly after the elite world championships open to participants aged over 25.

Persons: Taghi Askari, Askari, ” Askari, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Iranian, Aquatics, Asian Games Locations: Doha, Iran, Tehran

☆ Desperate Palestinians in Gaza's Rafah Fear Coming Israeli Assault
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

War in Israel and Gaza View All 206 Images"If there will be more displacement, I'm not moving," she said. Israeli air raids have started targeting Rafah over recent days. On Sunday, Hamas said Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip over the previous four days had killed two hostages and injured eight others. The group said any Israeli assault on Rafah would "blow up" the discussions for deal to free the remaining hostages. My children keep asking me when Israel will invade Rafah and where we will go and if we will die.

Persons: Mohammad Salem, Nidal, Abu Mustafa family's, we’re, Laila Abu Mustafa, Benjamin Netanyahu, Abu Mustafa, Israel, Netanyahu, Mariam, Mohammad, Dan Williams, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Angus McDowall, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Sunday, ABC, France's Foreign Locations: RAFAH, Gaza, DOHA, Egypt, Rafah, Israel, Qatar, United States, Gaza City, Mohammad Salem, Mughrabi, Doha, Jerusalem, Cairo

☆ Hungary’s president resigns amid uproar over child sex abuse case pardon
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Heather Chen | Pierre Meilhan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Hungarian President Katalin Novak has announced that she is resigning from office following mounting public criticism over her decision to pardon a man implicated in a child sexual abuse case. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the country’s capital Budapest on Friday, calling for Novak to step down. Protesters took to the streets in Hungary this week. Bernadett Szabo/ReutersNovak is a close ally of Hungary’s hardline nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán and was the former family minister. Saturday’s address was her final one as president, less than two years after she took office.

Persons: Katalin Novak, “, ” Novak, ”, Novak, Pope Francis –, Protesters, Bernadett Szabo, Viktor Orbán Organizations: CNN, Reuters Locations: Budapest, Doha, Hungarian, Hungary

The U.N.-backed International Labor Organization says reforms introduced following the World Cup have improved the situation of migrant workers, while adding that more needs to be done. Meanwhile, human rights group Amnesty International says migrant workers still face abuses. Photos You Should See View All 21 ImagesLast November, Amnesty urged Qatar and FIFA to do more for migrant workers - particularly in terms of compensation. Migrant workers collect litter, serve coffee, drive taxis and provide security. The number of work-related deaths in the delivery of the World Cup came under intense scrutiny in the lead-up.

Persons: Jordan, Stephen Cockburn, ″, ”, Max Tunon, ” Tunon, it’s, “, ” Cockburn, ” ___ James Robson Organizations: Qatar, International Labor Organization, Amnesty International, “, AP, FIFA, Qatari, Workers, ILO Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Doha, Kenya, Ghana, Saudi Arabia

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Chang Yani topped teammate Chen Yiwen on the 3-meter springboard Friday, giving the powerhouse Chinese team its eighth diving gold medal of the World Aquatics Championships. Beginning with their emergence in 1984, the Chinese have won 47 of 72 diving gold medals. Since the Olympic program doubled from four to eight events in 2000, they have been even more dominant — 38 gold medals in 48 events. One thing the Chinese haven't done is take the top spot in all eight diving events at a single Olympics. The final two diving events will be held Saturday at the Hamad Aquatic Centre.

Persons: — Chang Yani, Chen Yiwen, Chen, Chang, Kim Suji, Maddison Keeney, Sarah Bacon, They've, —, ___ Organizations: United States, Olympics, Los Angeles Games, China, Doha —, Tokyo Games, Hamad Aquatic, Japan Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Australia, China, Doha, Paris, Olympic, United States

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Twins Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi added to their artistic swimming medal haul at the World Aquatics Championships with a narrow victory in the duet free routine on Thursday. The 27-year-old Chinese stars claimed gold with 250.7729 points, edging another set of twins, Bregje and Noortje de Brouwer of the Netherlands, at 250.4979. The Wang sisters have each won four gold medals in Doha. They also paired up to claim the top spot in duet technical routine, and were both members of the Chinese squad that claimed gold in team acrobatic and team technical. The Hungarian squad of Bettina Fábián, Mira Szimcsák, Dávid Betlehem and Kristóf Rasovszky settled for the bronze in 1:04:06.80.

Persons: Wang Liuyi, Wang Qianyi, Noortje de Brouwer, Kate Shortman, Isabelle Thorpe, Wang, Moesha Johnson, Chelsea Gubecka, Nicholas Sloman, Kyle Lee, Lee, Domenico Acerenza's, Giulia Gabbrielleschi, Arianna Bridi, Domenico Acerenza, Bettina Fábián, Mira Szimcsák, Dávid, Kristóf Rasovszky, ___ Organizations: —, Doha Old Locations: DOHA, Qatar, Netherlands, Doha, Australia, Italy, Doha Old Port

☆ Blinken holding crucial meetings in Israel as efforts to free hostages and halt Gaza fighting intensify
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel Wednesday for meetings with key government officials to press for a “humanitarian pause” as international and domestic US pressure to end the conflict in Gaza continues to mount. Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a little over an hour. He is meeting with Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Herzi Halevi and set to meet with other key officials. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and, indeed, essential. And we will continue to work relentlessly to achieve it,” Blinken said at a news conference in Doha Tuesday.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzi Halevi, “ There’s, ” Blinken, Biden, Joe Biden, ”, Netanyahu, ’, “ We’re, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince, Israel, we’ll Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Doha Tuesday, State Department, Monday, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Crown, Doha Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Iranian, Iraq, Syria, United States, Rafah, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, ”, Palestinian

CNN has obtained a copy of the Hamas response and senior Hamas official Muhammad Nazzal confirmed it was genuine. The Hamas response has been met with optimism by some of the parties involved but one Israeli official said Wednesday there was “no way” his country would accept it. The second phase, Hamas has proposed, would see the conclusion of talks on a mutual cessation of hostilities. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the prime minister of Qatar, which is mediating, said Tuesday Hamas’ response to Israel’s proposal was “positive.”“The reply includes some comments, but in general it is positive. “We are optimistic, and we have delivered the response to the Israeli party.”Separately, a source familiar with the discussions told CNN that Hamas’ response was “reasonable.”It’s unclear if the two were referring to the counterproposal CNN has seen.

Persons: Israel –, hasn’t, Muhammad Nazzal, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas ’ counterproposal, aren’t, ”, ’ counterproposal, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, ” Al Thani, Blinken Organizations: CNN, Palestinian, ”, Hamas, United Nations, Qatari, Doha Locations: Gaza, Israel, Paris, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Russia, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

☆ Gaza Ceasefire Hopes Alive With More Talks Planned
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

"Continued military pressure is a necessary condition for the release of the hostages," Netanyahu said. Israel began its military offensive after Hamas militants from Gaza killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Netanyahu rejects a Palestinian state, which Saudi Arabia says is a requirement for the kingdom to normalise relations with Israel. But last week Israel said it would expand its campaign into Rafah, where about half the enclave's 2.3 million people are penned against the border with Egypt. On the ground in southern Gaza, residents said Israel stepped up its assault on Rafah in the early hours of Thursday.

Persons: Nidal, Humeyra Pamuk, Antony Blinken, Khalil Al, Hayya, Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken, Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, Israel, Washington, Khan Younis, Nidal al, Andrew Mills, Bassam Massoud, Cynthia Osterman, Howard Goller Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Israeli, Hamas, NBC News, Israel Democracy Institute, Nakhoul Locations: Humeyra Pamuk DOHA, TEL AVIV, U.S, Qatar, Egypt, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Saudi Arabia, ISRAEL, RAFAH Israel, Gaza's, Rafah, Tel Al, Doha

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