LONDON — The cacophonous wail of the shofar was loud, mournful and lasted nearly two minutes as dozens of Jews blew on rams’ horns Sunday to wake up others to the plight of the estimated 100 hostages still held in Gaza. Demonstrators standing in the rain outside a London mosque blew on the long, curling … Read more
NICOSIA, Cyprus — Another top donor to the U.N. agency aiding Palestinians said Saturday that it would resume funding, weeks after more than a dozen countries halted hundreds of millions of dollars of support in response to Israeli allegations against the organization. Sweden’s reversal came as a ship bearing tons of humanitarian aid was preparing … Read more
LARNACA, Cyprus — A ship was preparing Friday to leave Cyprus and head for Gaza with humanitarian aid, the European Commission president said, as international donors launch a sea corridor to supply the besieged territory facing widespread hunger and shortages of essential supplies after five months of war. The vessel, belonging to Spain’s Open Arms, … Read more
CAIRO — Hamas said Thursday that its delegation has left Cairo and that talks on a Gaza cease-fire and hostage release will resume next week, making it extremely unlikely that mediators will broker a deal before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Egyptian officials had earlier said the negotiations reached an impasse over Hamas’ demand … Read more
Nearly five months of fighting has left much of Gaza in ruins and created a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, with many, especially in the devastated northern region, scrambling for food to survive while pressure grows internationally for Israel and Hamas to reach a deal. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent weeks trying to broker … Read more
CAIRO — Three days of negotiations with Hamas over a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages failed to achieve a breakthrough on Tuesday, Egyptian officials said, less than a week before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the informal deadline for a deal. The nearly five months of fighting … Read more
TEL AVIV, Israel — A top Israeli Cabinet minister headed to Washington on Sunday for talks with U.S. officials, sparking a rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to an Israeli official, in a sign of widening cracks in Israel’s wartime government nearly five months into its war with Hamas. The trip by Benny Gantz, … Read more
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Aid convoys carrying food reached northern Gaza this week, Israeli officials said Wednesday, the first major delivery in a month to the devastated, isolated area, where the U.N. has warned of worsening starvation among hundreds of thousands of Palestinians amid Israel’s offensive. The increasing alarm over hunger across Gaza has fueled … Read more
PARIS — The emir of Qatar spoke Tuesday of “a race against time” to secure hostage releases as part of the diplomatic push for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in which his country is playing a key role. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was speaking on a state visit to France, … Read more
TEL AVIV, Israel — Mediators are making progress on an agreement for a weekslong cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and the release of dozens of hostages held in Gaza as well as Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, Israeli media reported Sunday. Israel’s War Cabinet met to discuss the proposal late Saturday, but there was no official … Read more