Gaza, 10-14-25

For today, links to eight reports: from Reuters, the Cradle, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; other articles are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 10-13-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, UKRAINE and 9/11 TRUTH entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

Hamas fighters tighten grip in Gaza, clouding future of ceasefire, by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  CAIRO / JERUSALEM — Hamas fighters tightened their grip in Gaza today after carrying out public executions, defying Israel’s assertion that war cannot end under U.S. President Donald Trump‘s plan until the militants are disarmed. Fighters executed men they accused of collaborating with Israeli forces. READ MORE . . .

   

Turkiye, Iraq ‘pressured’ Egypt to block Netanyahu from Trump summit: report. From the Cradle. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled plans to attend the Gaza peace summit in Egypt’s city of Sharm el-Sheikh after the the leaders of Iraq and Turkiye contacted Cairo to voice opposition to his participation, AFP reported today. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 13  After hostages and prisoners are freed, complex issues remain for Israel-Hamas ceasefire, by Melanie Lidman, Samy Magdy and Wafaa Shurafa | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel and Hamas moved ahead on a key first step of the tenuous Gaza ceasefire agreement on Monday by freeing hostages and prisoners, raising hopes that the U.S.-brokered deal might lead to a permanent end to the two-year war that ravaged the Palestinian territory. But thornier issues . . . READ MORE . . ..  Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for live AP updates in English.

   

FROM OCT. 13  Trump declares end of Gaza war as last Israeli hostages swapped for Palestinian detainees, by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  CAIRO / JERUSALEM — Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza on Monday under a ceasefire deal and Israel sent home busloads of Palestinian detainees. Hours later, Trump convened Muslim and European leaders in Egypt. Hamas and Israel were both absent. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 13  Trump wants to push for Middle East peace. Netanyahu is still talking up Israel’s military might, by Will Weissert | AP  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is declaring Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip over and has already barreled ahead toward far larger goals — arguing that the fragile ceasefire his administration helped broker is a chance to bring a lasting peace to the greater Middle East. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 14  What the freed Israeli hostages’ first few days of freedom will look like. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  All 20 surviving Israeli hostages have been freed by Hamas after spending more than two years in captivity in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

FROM OCT. 13  Crowds cheer in Gaza, Ramallah as Israel releases Palestinian prisoners. Reported by Carrie Kahn and Andrew Limbong | NPR  As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners on Monday. The majority were detainees and prisoners arrested in Gaza and returned there to a huge celebratory crowd. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

FROM OCT. 13  Trump in Israel, Egypt to mark end of Gaza war as hostages freed. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Andrew Limbong | NPR  Twenty hostages are released by Hamas and more than 1,900 Palestinian detainees and prisoners are released by Israel as President Trump visits Israel and Egypt to mark an end to the Gaza war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

TO BE CONTINUED

West Bank, 10-14-25

For today, a link to a report from Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (WEST BANK 10-12-24 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, UKRAINE and 9/11 TRUTH entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

   

Illegal Israeli settlers cut down olive trees, burn vehicle in occupied West Bank, by Qais Abu Samra and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Ajansi  RAMALLAH, Palestine / ISTANBUL — Illegal Israeli settlers uprooted more than 150 olive trees and burned a Palestinian car today in the occupied West Bank, according to the Bedouin rights group Al-Baidar. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine, 10-14-25

For today, links to six reports: from the Moscow Times, the Kyiv Independent, Tass, Reuters, and the Associated Press; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 10-12-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, WEST BANK and 9/11 TRUTH entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

   

Woman killed in Ukrainian drone strike on Kursk border region. From the Moscow Times. A woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a car in the southwestern Kursk region, local authorities said today. READ MORE . . .

   

Russia’s largest oil terminal in occupied Crimea is still on fire, by Chris York | The Kyiv Independent  Russia’s largest oil depot in occupied Crimea is still burning a day after being struck by Ukrainian drones, with a huge column of smoke visible from more than 25 kilometers away, local media reported today. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for Oct. 13 report from the Moscow Times.

   

Russian troops liberate Balagan community in Donetsk region over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated the community of Balagan in the Donetsk region over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM OCT. 13  Russian attack on Ukraine’s Kharkiv cuts power to 30,000, officials say. From Reuters. Russian forces attacked Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, with guided bombs on Monday, knocking out power to 30,000 customers in three districts, local officials said. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 13  Zelenskyy to visit Washington this week seeking long-range weapons and a Trump meeting, by Hanna Arhirova and Derek Gatopoulos | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday he will travel to the United States this week for talks on the potential U.S. provision of long-range weapons, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Russia he may send Kyiv long-range Tomahawk missiles. READ MORE . . . Click HERE to read same AP report in Spanish.

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9/11 truth, 10-14-25

NOTE:  There is virtually nothing new in the first linked item, but it is a good recapitulation of factual information familiar to people who have followed developments in the case of the murderous Sept. 11, 2001, events.  This is the second time a link to the NPR report has appeared in this blog since early September.

Gaza, 10-13-25

For today, links to 15 reports: from the Associated Press, the Cradle, Middle East Eye, Reuters, Antiwar.com via ScheerPost, National Public Radio, and Middle East Monitor; to a discussion via Consortium News; and to two articles of commentary: from the Flautist via CN, and from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 10-12-25 is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

The war is over: Trump declares ‘new dawn’ for West Asia from Israel’s Knesset. From the Cradle. U.S. President Donald Trump made a speech addressing Israel’s Knesset today, hailing the “dawn of a new Middle East” and the defeat of “enemies” following the release of Israeli captives from Gaza as part of his 20-point ceasefire plan. READ MORE . . .

   

Hamas frees living hostages and Israel releases prisoners as Trump visits the region. From AP. Hamas released all 20 of the last living hostages today, the Israeli military said. It is part of a breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the devastated Gaza Strip. Buses carrying dozens . . . READ MORE  . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

    

Hamas and Israel swap prisoners as Trump declares war’s end, by Lubna Masarwa, Mohammed Nazzal and Huthifa Fayyad | Middle East Eye  JERSUSALEM / RAMALLAH, occupied Palestine — Hamas and Israel exchanged prisoners today. The Palestinian movement released 20 living captives from Gaza to the International Red Cross starting starting at 8 a.m. local time. They were later transferred to Israel. Shortly after, Israeli authorities began . . . READ MORE . . .

   

Israel’s Netanyahu won’t attend Egypt summit on ending Gaza war. From Reuters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend today’s summit on ending the Gaza war in Egypt, his office said, after Cairo had earlier announced he would take part. READ MORE . . .

   

Israeli defense minister says IDF will destroy Gaza tunnels once Hamas releases Israeli captives, by Dave DeCamp | Antiwar.com / ScheerPost  Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that the Israeli military would destroy tunnels in Gaza after the remaining Israeli captives are released by Hamas. “Israel’s great challenge after the phase of returning the hostages,” he said on X . . . READ MORE . . .

   

Israel celebrates as Hamas releases final Israeli hostages. Reported by Daniel Estrin and A Martínezof NPR  Hamas released all 20 of the living Israeli hostages on Monday. In turn, Israel will be releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire agreement. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

Full text of the agreement signed by Israel and Hamas to ‘end the war’ on Gaza. From Middle East Eye. Implementation Steps for President Trump’s Proposal for a “Comprehensive End of Gaza War.” Click HERE for introduction and full text of agreement.

   

Former Israeli PM talks about the hostage release and Israel’s standing in the world. Michel Martin of NPR speaks with Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister of Israel, as he reflects on the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and how the war has affected Israel’s standing in the world. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

Yedioth Ahronoth: Netanyahu surrendered to Hamas, hid the truth. From Middle East Monitor. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth has revealed alarming details about the Gaza peace agreement, saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set key conditions but made major concessions and hid the truth from the public. According to the paper, the basic conditions . . . READ MORE . . .

   

President Trump to address Israel’s parliament amid hostage exchange. Reported by Greg Myre and A Martínez | NPR  Widely credited with sealing the deal on the ceasefire in Gaza, President Trump received the red carpet treatment when he arrived in Israel Monday. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

FROM OCT. 12  Aid trucks begin entering Gaza under ceasefire agreement. From Middle East Monitor. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid began to enter the Gaza Strip on Sunday under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, local sources said. They told Anadolu that a number of aid trucks moved through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom border . . . READ MORE . . .

   

The war devastated Gaza, destroying entire communities. What will it take to rebuild. Michel Martin of NPR asks Jack Lew, who was U.S. ambassador to Israel under President Biden, what needs to happen next for Gaza to start rebuilding after the war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

FROM OCT. 12  Freedom promised for Israeli hostages, uncertainty about what’s next. Reported by Jane Arraf, Andrew Limbong and Jim Kane | NPR  All living Israeli hostages are expected to be released Monday under the ceasefire brokered by President Trump. Palestinian families in Gaza return home to sift through what’s left. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

FROM OCT. 12  Waiting for the call: a hostage’s family prepares for his return. Reported by Erika Ryan, Ahmad Damen and Andrew Limbong | NPR Limbong talks to Moshe Lavi, brother-in-law of Omri Miran, who is an Israeli hostage held in Gaza. Miran is one of twenty living hostages expected to return to Israel. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM OCT. 12  Israel-U.S. relationship under the microscope. Danny Haifong hosts ex-C.I.A. officer John Kiriakou, Consortium News editor Joe Lauria, and former U.S. Green Party vice-presidential candidate Ajamu Baraka to talk about “the C.I.A and the Mossad, the “ceasefire” in Gaza, the information war Israel is losing in the U.S. and the role technology is playing in it, the British Terrorism Act, the war in Ukraine and the general age of peril the world is living through.” Click HERE to watch and listen.

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FROM OCT. 9  Keep the champagne corked, by Patrick Lawrence | The Floutist / Consortium News  I hope, for all of our sakes but especially for the sake of those children and their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and all others who have suffered with them these past two years — well, these past 77 — that the accord going into effect as I write this holds. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 11  Neocons celebrate Donald Trump’s humiliation. Why it matters, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The Nobel panel has once again placed politics over peace, true to its tradition. READ MORE . . .

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Gaza, 10-12-25

A NOTE about access follows the items below.

For today, links to 10 reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Anadolu Ajansi, the Cradle, and NBC News, and to an article of commentary from ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (GAZA 10-11-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

   

Preparations begin to ramp up aid in Gaza as ceasefire brings hope for end to 2-year war, by Samy Magdy, Sarah el Deeb and Melanie Lidman | AP  CAIRO — Preparations were underway today to ramp up aid entering the war-battered Gaza Strip under a new ceasefire deal that many are hoping will signal an end to . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE to read in AP report in Spanish, and HERE for report from Reuters.

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Trump to arrive in Israel and speak with families of released hostages. Reported by Daniel Estrin and Ayesha Rascoe | NPR  President Trump is due to fly to Israel and Egypt to mark the end of the Gaza war, as Hamas and Israel prepare to release hostages and prisoners. Click HERE later to listen and, still later, read.

   

U.S. troops set to start operations at Israeli military base to monitor Gaza ceasefire deal: report, by Zein Khalil and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu  ISTANBUL — U.S. troops were to begin operations at an Israeli military base today to monitor the implementation of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media said. Israeli Channel 12 reported that . . . READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 10  GHF dismantles Gaza sites where thousands of Palestinian aid seekers killed. From the Cradle. The U.S.-Israeli Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has begun to dismantle its sites after killing thousands of Palestinians in the past months during a failed mission worth tens of millions. Quds News Network reported that eyewitnesses . . . READ MORE . . .

   

U.S. will not deploy troops to Gaza or Israel, says Vice President Vance, by Yasin Gungor and Esra Tekin| Anadolu  ISTANBUL — U.S. Vice President JD Vance said despite the role it played in reaching the new Gaza ceasefire deal, the U.S. has no plans to deploy American troops to Gaza or Israel. He said in an interview that aired today on NBC that . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for report and interview from NBC News.

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A veteran peace negotiator discusses next steps in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. Ayesha Rascoe of NPR asks veteran American peace negotiator Aaron David Miller for his thoughts on the new peace process unfolding between Israel and Hamas. Click HERE later to listen and, still later, read.

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FROM OCT. 11  As Israel and Hamas prepare for a major exchange, President Trump heads to Israel. Reported by Greg Myre and Andrew Limbong | NPR  President Trump is expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday night as both sides prepare for the release of Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners. Click HERE to listen and read.

   

FROM OCT. 11  Trump’s sham peace plan, by Chris Hedges | Original to ScheerPost  It is a sadistic game. A merry-go-round of death. This ceasefire, like those of the past, is a commercial break. A moment when . . .  READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Sometimes the latest additions to posts on this website don’t appear quickly on certain browsers. Visitors who sense what they’re looking at is not current  may try switching browsers and occasionally “refreshing” by clicking on the little  circular thing with arrow pointing clockwise near the top of the screen.

West Bank, 10-12-25

For today, a link to a report from Anadolu, and to an article of commentary from ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (WEST BANK 10-8-25 is HERE, or scroll down. GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

Israeli army detains 10 Palestinians in West Bank raids amid assaults by illegal settlers: media, by Aysar Alais and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu  RAMALLAH, Palestine / ISTANBUL — The Israeli army arrested 10 Palestinians in military raids in the occupied West Bank on today, local media said. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 11  Trump’s sham peace plan, by Chris Hedges | Original to ScheerPost  The scheduled Israeli military withdrawals under the 1993 Oslo Accords never took place. There were around 250,000 Jewish colonists in the West Bank when the Oslo agreement was signed. Their numbers today have increased to at least 700,000. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine, 10-12-25

A NOTE about access follows the items below.

For today, links to eight reports: from the Associated Press, Tass, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Moscow Times, the Kyiv Independent, and Kyiv Post; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 10-9-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and GAZA entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

Ukraine’s power grid attacked as Moscow worries over U.S. Tomahawks. From AP. Russia attacked Ukraine’s power grid overnight into Sunday, part of an ongoing campaign to cripple Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter. This came as Moscow expressed “extreme concern” over the United States potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukriane. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Tass.

   

Kremlin warns the West over ‘dramatic’ escalation moment in Ukraine war, by Guy Faulkenbridge | Reuters  MOSCOW — The Kremlin said today Russia was deeply concerned about the possibility of the U.S. supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, warning that the war had reached a dramatic moment with escalation from all sides. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 11  Zelensky urges Trump to broker Ukraine peace. From AFP.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Donald Trump to broker peace in Ukraine like in the Middle East during a phone call Saturday. The call came a day after . . .  READ MORE . . .

   

Kremlin aide points to Anchorage agreements as ‘guiding star’ for Ukraine settlement. From Tass. MOSCOW — The “guiding star” on the issue of a Ukrainian settlement is the agreements reached by the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, in Anchorage, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov said in an interview. READ MORE . . .

   

Russia has pounded Ukraine’s rail infrastructure 300 times since the beginning of August, official says, by Kateryna Denisova | The Kyiv Independent  Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksii Kuleba said today that Russian forces have carried out nearly 300 attacks on Ukrainian Railways infrastructuresince the beginning of August and  has intensified the attacks as autumn . . . READ MORE . . .

   

U.S. intel helped power Kyiv’s strikes that crippled Russian oil – officials, by Leo Chiu | Kyiv Post  The U.S., under President Donald Trump, reportedly provided the necessary intelligence to help Kyiv strike Russian oil facilities across the country in a secret bid to push Moscow towards negotiations. As of early October . . . READ MORE . . .

   

FROM OCT. 10  Russian low-cost drones are changing the face of its war in Ukraine, by Stanislav Storozhenko | The Moscow Times  The widespread use of first-person-view drones, cheap devices assembled from off-the-shelf components, has transformed modern warfare since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Both sides have . . . READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Sometimes the latest additions on this website don’t appear quickly on certain browsers. Visitors who sense what they’re looking at is not current may try switching browsers and occasionally “refreshing” by clicking on the little  circular thing with arrow pointing clockwise near the top of the screen.

Lebanon, 10-11-25

A NOTE on access follows the items below.

For today, links to reports from the Cradle, Middle East Eye, and Anadolu; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (LEBANON 10-10-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA entry for today is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israeli airstrikes devastate south Lebanon’s power grid, destroy reconstruction equipment. From the Cradle. Israeli warplanes carried out a series of intense airstrikes along Musaylih Road in southern Lebanon overnight, cutting off the main route and plunging large parts of the south into darkness after severing key power lines. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli strike kills one in Lebanon, President Aoun denounces attack. From Middle East Eye. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun today condemned an overnight Israeli strike on civilian sites, which killed at least one person. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli airstrikes target heavy machinery yards in southern Lebanon, destroy over 300 vehicles: report, by Berk Kutay Gokmen and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu  ISTANBUL — The Israeli army today carried out airstrikes on six heavy machinery yards along the Al-Msayleh road in southern Lebanon, destroying more than 300 vehicles, according to local media. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Sometimes the latest additions on this website don’t appear quickly on certain browsers. It may help to switch browsers and occasionally “refresh” by clicking on the little  circular thing with arrow pointing clockwise above.

Gaza, 10-11-25

A NOTE on access follows the items below.

For today, links to seven reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and the Cradle, and to an article of commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 10-10-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON entry for today is HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Palestinians return to ruins and U.S. troops land in Israel as ceasefire holds, by Abdel Kareem Hana, Sam Metz,  Sarah el Deeb and Sam Mednick | AP  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians made their way back to their Gaza neighborhoods today, weaving through dust-shrouded streets as bulldozers clawed through the wreckage of two years of war and . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for  AP report in Spanish, and HERE for report from NPR.

   

Hamas will only disarm if fighters integrated into Palestinian National Army: official. From the Cradle. During an interview with Sky News on Friday, senior Hamas official Dr. Basem Naim confirmed that Hamas would not completely disarm and that the movement would only hand over its weapons to a Palestinian state and integrate its fighters into . . . READ MORE . . .

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A foreign policy expert talks about prospects for peace marked by the Gaza ceasefire. Scott Simon of NPR talks with Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland, about the U.S.-brokered peace deal between Hamas and Israel. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

FROM OCT. 10  Thousands of Palestinians return to what’s left of their homes as Gaza ceasefire takes effect, by Abdel Kareem Hanna, Wafaa Shurafa and Melanie Lidman | AP  WADI GAZA, Gaza Strip — Tens of thousands of Palestinians headed back to the heavily destroyed northern Gaza Strip on Friday as a U.S.-brokered ceasefire came into effect in a deal that raised hopes for ending the Israel-Hamas war. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for AP report in Spanish.

   

FROM OCT. 10  Israeli forces pull back as Gaza ceasefire takes effect. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  Israeli forces have pulled back a line agreed in the Trump truce deal, allowing Hamas to start gathering hostages for release. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

FROM OCT. 10  Former Biden official on President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. Reported by Scott Detrow, Kathryn Fink, Christopher Intagliata and Linah Mohammad | NPR  Detrow talks with Jake Sullivan, national security adviser to former President Biden, about President Trump’s plan for peace in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

The delusional ceasefire and the inevitable resumption of fighting, by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  The world has greeted the new ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinians with cautious optimism. However, beneath the diplomatic courtesy and carefully selected words . . . READ MORE . . .   

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NOTE: Sometimes the latest additions on this website don’t appear quickly on certain browsers. It may help to switch browsers and occasionally “refresh” by clicking on the little  circular thing with arrow pointing clockwise above.