Trump says Gaza truce has a 'real chance'; Hamas says it wants 'guarantees' from Trump | LIVE

Netanyahu vows to 'achieve all the war's objectives' in Oct. 7 statement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement marking the second anniversary of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, vowed to achieve all of the war's objectives in Gaza, beginning with securing the release of hostages, AFP reports.

"We are in fateful, decisive days. We will continue to act to achieve all the war's objectives: the return of all abductees, the elimination of Hamas's rule, and ensuring that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel," he said in a statement issued by his office.

Indirect negotiations between the Israeli government and Hamas began in Egypt yesterday. Netanyahu's reference to "the elimination of Hamas’ rule" appears to mark a shift from his recent statements, in which he spoke of destroying the Palestinian movement altogether as a goal.

Hamas says it wants 'guarantees' from Trump

Hamas' top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said during indirect talks with Israel in Egypt that the group "wants guarantees from [U.S.] President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all," AFP reports.

"We do not trust the occupation, not even for a second," he told Egyptian state-linked media al-Qahera News, referring to Israel.

"The Israeli occupation throughout history does not keep its promises, and we have experienced it twice in this war. Therefore, we want real guarantees," he continued, accusing Israel of violating two cease-fires in the current war.

The spring cease-fire in Gaza was ended unilaterally by Israel, and in Lebanon, Israel continues to attack on a daily basis, killing hundreds of people and occupying Lebanese territory.

Witkoff won't leave Egypt without Gaza deal, official says

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will not leave talks in Egypt without a deal, a senior U.S. official told Axios.

“The military pressure was critical in order to make Hamas more pragmatic," another senior U.S. official said. "But now Bibi has to understand that the time has come for a deal.”

According to Times of Israel, the Israeli negotiating team has been instructed to only make progress on details pertaining to the release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawal maps, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

If the sides don’t reach a deal, the U.S. could present a compromise “take it or leave it” deal, Israel's Channel 12 reported, despite the fact that Trump has already presented several recent proposals as such.

Qatari PM to join Gaza talks tomorrow

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani will attend the ongoing Gaza peace talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm al-Sheikh tomorrow, the foreign ministry said.

Sheikh Mohammed's "participation in the meetings... comes at a critical stage of the talks, reaffirming the determination of the mediators to reach an agreement that would bring an end to the catastrophic war in the Gaza Strip," the ministry wrote in a statement on X.

Trump says Gaza truce deal has a 'real chance'

Trump said there was a "real chance" of a Gaza peace deal, as Hamas and Israeli negotiators held indirect talks in Cairo today. 

"We are very close to making a deal on the Middle East that will bring peace to the Middle East," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner have arrived in Cairo heading a delegation of U.S. negotiators.

"There's a real chance that we could do something," Trump said. "I think there's a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East. It's something even beyond the Gaza situation. We want a release of the hostages immediately." 

"Our team is over there now, another team just left, and other countries, literally every country in the world, has supported the plan."

Trump added that the United States would to "everything possible to make sure everyone adheres to the deal" if Hamas and Israel do agree on a cease-fire to end the war.

UK prosecutors to appeal dropped 'terrorism' case against Kneecap rapper

UK prosecutors said they would appeal a court's decision to drop a charge of supporting "terrorism" brought against a Northern Irish singer from punk rap group Kneecap.

"We are appealing the decision to dismiss this case as we believe there is an important point of law which needs to be clarified," a Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said, referring to the case against Liam O'Hanna, also known by his stage name Mo Chara.

O'Hanna had been charged under the UK's terrorism laws for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a concert in November 2024. Hezbollah, in its entirely (both political and military wings), has been designated a terrorist organization in the UK since 2019.

But the case was thrown out by London's Woolwich Crown Court last month after a judge found there had been a technical error in the way the charge had been brought.

Read the full report here. 👈

Witkoff heads US delegation currently en route to Cairo

A U.S. delegation led by presidential envoy Steve Witkoff will join talks aimed at a truce in Gaza and hostage and prisoner exchange tomorrow, Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said, as cited by Reuters.

In a joint press conference with his German counterpart, Abdelatty told reporters that he and Johann Wadephul "had a long conversation with Steve Witkoff, who is expected in Egypt in the coming hours."

Fourth Houthi drone in one hour shot down in Israel

The Israeli army announced that it had shot down a fourth drone launched from Yemen toward Israel in the course of one hour, Times of Israel reported. The drone was reportedly shot down outside of Israeli airspace. The army said it believed the drone was aimed at Israel's southernmost city of Eilat.

While, in the past, the Houthis have halted their attacks on Israel and Israeli-linked shipping during periods of cease-fire in Gaza, the latest truce deal is still under discussion and has not fully taken effect.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirms US support for Israel

On his X account on the second anniversary of the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, Rubio wrote: "The United States stands firmly with Israel in our shared fight against terrorism and our shared commitment to ending the suffering of all hostages and their families. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan offers a historic opportunity to close this dark chapter and lay the foundation for lasting peace and security for all."

U.S. Vice President JD Vance posted a similar message, in almost identical terms, also in a statement on X.

Hamas strives to overcome 'all obstacles' to a cease-fire agreement in Gaza

Hamas is striving to overcome "all obstacles" that could prevent an agreement that would end the war in Gaza, Faouzi Barhoum, a senior official of the group said Tuesday.

"The movement's delegation participating in the current negotiations in Egypt is working to overcome all obstacles to reach an agreement that meets the aspirations of our people and our families in Gaza," Barhoum said in a video message broadcast on the Qatari channel Al Jazeera on the second anniversary of its attack on Israel.

Recalling that Hamas wants to achieve "a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire," the "complete withdrawal of [Israeli] forces from all areas of the Gaza Strip," and "unrestricted entry of humanitarian and medical aid," Barhoum warned against attempts by [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to sabotage" the negotiations.

Oct. 7 was 'historic response' to Israeli occupation, according to a Hamas spokesperson

Two years after its unprecedented attack on Israel, Hamas has described Oct. 7 as a "historic response" to the Israeli occupation, according to a spokesperson quoted by AFP.

The Palestinian movement also said, according to the same source, that it was "striving to overcome obstacles" to a truce agreement in Gaza, as negotiators met for a second day of talks in Egypt.

'Comprehensive cease-fire' reached between Syrian authorities and Kurdish representatives

Syrian Defense Minister Mourhaf Abu Qasra announced on Tuesday that he met with Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi in Damascus and agreed on a "comprehensive cease-fire" following violent clashes in Aleppo overnight.

He added that the implementation of the agreement would be effective immediately.

More Israeli cease-fire violations in southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone fired two stun grenades at workers repairing a potable water source in Odaisseh (Marjayoun). The attack did not cause any casualties.

Al-Sharaa meets with Kurdish leader in Damascus

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met with Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi in the Syrian capital, in the presence of U.S. delegates, following overnight clashes in Aleppo, a government source told AFP.

The meeting between the two men is the first since July. The two sides reached an agreement in March to integrate Kurdish institutions into the state, but its implementation has stalled.

The U.S. military commander for the Middle East (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, and U.S. envoy Tom Barrack are attending the meeting, according to another source close to the participants.

Drone strike targeting a bulldozer killed one person

One person was killed in the strike which partially destroyed a bulldozer in the southern district of Bint Jbeil. According to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, the victim was identified as Ali Qaddouh and had been working as a laborer on the site for the past month.

Protestors graffiti in support of Palestine on eve of Oct. 7 two-year commemoration

Slogans in solidarity with Palestine were spray-painted on a regional parliament building in northern Germany overnight, according to a police spokesperson quoted by the German press agency (dpa) and reported by Haaretz.

Some 15 slogans, including "From the River to the Sea," "Free Gaza," and "Free Greta [Thunberg]," were written on the walls of the Schleswig-Holstein parliament building in Kiel around midnight, the spokesperson said. Parliament President Kristina Herbst condemned the incident, brandishing it as "vandalism."

Photo sent by our correspondent in the south, Muntasser Abdallah.

An Israeli drone targeted a bulldozer west of Yater (Bint Jbeil), in the vicinity of the Maryamine Valley.

Hezbollah appeals for cessation of Israeli aggression before engaging in talks on disarmament

Hezbollah MP and former minister Hussein Hajj Hassan reiterated that his party will not consider surrendering its arms as long as Israel does not stop bombing and does not withdraw from the six points it has occupied in southern Lebanon since the war and following the cease-fire.

"Our position is clear: When the aggression stops, the enemy withdraws, the prisoners return, reconstruction begins, and national security is discussed on realistic terms that preserve dignity and sovereignty, then we can talk about a national strategy; before that, words will convince no one," said the Baalbek representative during a ceremony honoring a party fighter and martyrs killed by Israel in Bablieh (Saida) in southern Lebanon.

Hussein Hajj Hassan added, "There are many political issues, and if the state wants to convince its citizens that it is truly a state, it should act when the honor of its army and its people is violated, and not remain silent in the face of statements by the Zionist enemy and its ministers."

LF leader meets with US embassy head of mission

Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea welcomed U.S. temporary Head of Mission Keith Hanigan in Meerab (Kesrouan) according to the National News Agency (NNA).

No statement has been made following the meeting. The LF is among Hezbollah's fiercest opponents on the Lebanese political scene.

Man pronounced dead in Israeli drone strike on Sour

The Hezbollah member killed in a drone strike today in Sour was Mahmoud Issa, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

LF leader meets with US embassy head of mission

Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea welcomed U.S. temporary Head of Mission Keith Hanigan in Meerab (Kesrouan) according to the National News Agency (NNA).

No statement has been made following the meeting. The LF is among Hezbollah's fiercest opponents on the Lebanese political scene.

Hezbollah member killed in car strike in southern Lebanon

According to a new report, the Lebanese national hit by an Israeli drone strike on a car in the Sour district has been declared dead.

He was a member of Hezbollah, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. The Syrian national is still reported as injured.

Hezbollah member killed in car strike in southern Lebanon

According to a new report, the Lebanese national hit by an Israeli drone strike on a car in the Sour district has been declared dead.

He was a member of Hezbollah, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. The Syrian national is still reported as injured.

Photo sent by our southern Lebanon correspondent Muntasser Abdallah

Two wounded in Israeli drone strike in Sour, south Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike targeted a car between Deir Aames and Siddiqine in the southern district of Sour, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. Initial reports indicate at least two people were injured, one Lebanese and one Syrian.

Two years on from Oct. 7

Several European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, posted messages on X to commemorate the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks and incursion into Israel.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also spoke out, saying: "The horror of that dark day will remain etched in our memories forever. Two years later, hostages remain captive in Gaza in deplorable conditions. "

The Oct. 7 attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official data. Of the 251 people kidnapped that day, 47 are still being held hostage in Gaza, 25 of whom are dead, according to the army.

The Israeli media has highlighted and questioned the numerous security flaws that allowed Hamas fighters to launch this attack.

Since then, Israel has killed more than 67,160 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This figure is considered a minimum in an enclave ravaged by massive and largely indiscriminate Israeli bombardment.

Hamas officials say cease-fire talks in Egypt held on a 'positive' note

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas began yesterday in Egypt with the goal of ending the war in Gaza. Set to resume today, two Palestinian sources close to the Hamas negotiating team told AFP that so far the talks have been "positive."

"The talks were positive last night, with an initial session lasting four hours," said one of the sources. "The indirect negotiations are set to resume at midday," the source added.

The second source confirmed these statements, both regarding the outcome of the first session and the expected continuation of the talks later in the day in Sharm el-Sheikh in the Sinai Peninsula.

Palestinian child killed in Israeli strike on Khan Younis

An Israeli strike on Khan Younis killed one child and wounded many more, according to officials at al-Amal Hospital.

At least seven Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli fire near aid distribution centers in southern Gaza, Gaza’s ambulance and emergency officials report.

⚡ Two members of the Revolutionary Guards killed in an attack in western Iran, according to the IRNA news agency, quoted by Reuters.

Sirens went off recently in Netiv Ha'asara, in southern Israel near the border with Gaza, but were reported by Haaretz as a false alarm, according to the Israeli army.

Senior Vatican diplomat condemns 'carnage' in Gaza

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin yesterday condemned the "carnage" in Gaza, saying it was "unacceptable" to reduce the death toll to collateral damage.

He was speaking to the Vatican media ahead of the second anniversary of what he called the "inhumane and indefensible" Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, and said he was praying for the hostages still being held.

The war between Hamas and Israel "has had disastrous and inhuman consequences," the cardinal added, saying he was struck by the daily deaths of "so many children whose only fault seems to be that they were born there."

"We risk becoming insensitive to this carnage!" Pietro Parolin warned in an interview published in Italian and English.

Lebanon: Israel continues to violate cease-fire with strikes, stun grenades and drones

Following yesterday's deadly strike on a car in southern Lebanon, which killed parents on their way to collect their children from school, Israeli drones have been flying intensively at low altitude over the villages on the Zahrani coast, according to our correspondent in the region.

At around 7 a.m., the Israeli army fired intensively with machine guns and launched grenades from the Roueissat al-Alam site towards the outskirts of the town of Kfar Shouba, in the Hasbaya district.

An Israeli drone flew at low altitude over Iqlim al-Tuffah and in the skies over Kfar Tibnit and its surroundings in the Hasbaa district.

Several of our journalists report that an Israeli drone has also been flying at low altitude over Beirut and its suburbs since early this morning.

Read more about yesterday's deadly Nabatieh strikes here.

Houthis detain UN staff members

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday once again "strongly condemned" the detention of his staff members by Houthi rebels in Yemen, following the arrest of nine new employees, according to a statement from his spokesperson.

Dozens of U.N. personnel have been arrested in recent months in areas controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. In August, the U.N. announced that at least 11 of its employees had been detained by the Houthis, who launched a crackdown after their prime minister was killed in Israeli airstrikes.

In this context, the U.N. coordinator for humanitarian aid in Yemen was officially transferred in September from Sanaa, the rebel-held capital, to Aden.

It is in this city that the internationally recognized Yemeni government established its headquarters after being driven out of Sanaa by the Houthis in 2014.

Syria: Cease-fire in part of Aleppo targeted by Kurdish bombing, killing two

The Syrian government and the Kurdish autonomous administration have agreed to a cease-fire in two neighborhoods of Aleppo recently targeted by strikes that killed two, state media reported Tuesday. No details were provided on the terms of the agreement, which concerns the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh.

At least one member of the internal security forces and one civilian were killed last night in bombings attributed to Kurdish forces in Aleppo, amid renewed tensions between Damascus and the Kurdish autonomous administration, according to state television.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the recent use of explosive drones by government forces in these two neighborhoods.

Two-year anniversary since Hamas Oct. 7 incursion into Israel

In Gaza, the Israeli army said it detected a projectile fired from the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, on the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas incursion into Israel.

"Following the alarm sirens that sounded a short while ago in Netiv HaAsara (in southern Israel, near the border with the Gaza Strip), a projectile fired from the northern Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory was detected. It is likely that it fell in the area," the army said in a statement. "No casualties have been reported at this time," it added.

Putting pressure on both Hamas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump unveiled a plan on Sept. 29 aimed at ending the war, including the release of all hostages, a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, and the disarmament of Hamas.

Indirect talks between the Palestinian movement and the Israeli government began on Monday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The aim is to lay the concrete foundations for the implementation of the first part of Trump's plan: The release of all hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as part of a ceasefire.

Syria: Bombings by Kurdish forces of Aleppo

In the aftermath of Sunday's parliamentary elections, at least one member of the internal security forces and one civilian were killed on Monday evening in bombings attributed to Kurdish forces in Aleppo, northern Syria, amid renewed tensions between Damascus and the Kurdish autonomous administration, state television reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that government forces used explosive drones in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh.

Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Aleppo has been administered by Islamist authorities.

Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh remain under the control of local Kurdish units linked to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and their internal security forces, the Asayish, although the SDF officially withdrew from the area last April as part of a disengagement agreement with the government.

Good morning and welcome to our live blog today. Follow us for rolling coverage of news in Lebanon, Gaza, the region and beyond.