Sigh of relief to Israeli families as Hamas hands over all living hostages to Israel as Trump declares ‘Gaza war over’
The Israeli military said it had received all hostages confirmed to be alive after their transfer from Gaza by the Red Cross, prompting cheering, hugging and weeping among thousands waiting at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv.
How Trump’s family mega-dollar business interests in Qatar kowtowed Netanyahu into signing Israel-Hamas peace deal
Qatar has also played an increasingly critical role in helping the US broker diplomatic deals. In recent years, Qatar played a role in helping Nato and US arrange the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Iran–US prisoner swap, and the release of Ukrainian children from Russia. More recently, it has been a key mediator and drafter of ceasefire plans to end the genocide in Gaza.
Trump to receive hero’s welcome in Israel’s parliament as fragile Gaza ceasefire holds
The US, along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first phase agreement between Israel and Hamas. The next phase of Trump’s plan calls for an international body – a “Board of Peace” led by Trump.
How Trump bulldozed Netanyahu to apologise to Qatari emir that earned him Hamas trust, peace deal
An important development during the talks was the mediators’ success in convincing Hamas that its continued holding of hostages had become a liability for it rather than leverage, the senior US official and the Palestinian official in Gaza said. Hamas came to a view that continuing to hold hostages undermined global support for Palestinians, and that without them, Israel would have no credibility to restart fighting, the Palestinian official said.
End of two years of war doesn’t guarantee immediate rebound in Israel’s economy
At 3.25 to the dollar, the shekel has appreciated nearly 20 per cent against the US currency since October 2023, aided by Bank of Israel stabilisation measures. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s benchmark index is up nearly 300 per cent, compared to 56 per cent for the S&P 500. Israel has also maintained access to international debt markets, raising a record $8 billion in March 2024 and $5 billion in February 2025.
Sissi invites Trump to visit Egypt to witness Israel-Hamas deal signing ‘in a ceremony befitting the occasion’
In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded during the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children.
Israel denies stripping naked South African activists on Gaza flotilla over genocide case
Speaking after their return, the activists, which include the grandson of Nelson Mandela, said they were singled out after Israeli guards noticed that they were from South Africa. Two Muslim women among the group said they had their hijabs ripped off their heads and were forced to strip naked in front of Israeli soldiers.
Zionist: ‘Tel Aviv neighbourhood populated by East African immigrants as is rubbish-filled, dangerous and home to raggedy toothless prostitutes’
At least two people involved in developing the deleted toolkit resigned from Christian Aid, according to internal communications. The spokesperson said the deletion of the toolkit “does not reflect any change in attitude of support for LGBTQ+ staff”.
Doublespeak? ‘Ungodly’ Christian Aid shocks staff with orders not to refer to Israeli atrocities in Gaza as ‘genocide
During their September 18 meeting, several Christian Aid staff stressed the urgency to acknowledge the commission’s findings and proposed an infographic explaining the report’s implications.
Money for Mayhem: Researcher says drones, disinformation and guns-for-hire are redefining African wars
There are the Chinese private security companies, protecting Chinese investments and citizens in Africa. Their rise mirrors Beijing’s deepening footprint, where it is pouring billions into infrastructure and mining projects. In volatile nations like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan, weak and unreliable local security forces have created a vacuum that’s being filled by Chinese security contractors.
