Mena Today

Turkey aims to take part in a "task force" overseeing the newly-agreed ceasefire in Gaza and the implementation of its articles, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, as Ankara appeared to have emerged as a key player in both the negotiations and execution of the deal.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun publicly welcomed the Israel-Hamas hostage agreement, calling it a “first step” toward ending the war in Gaza and restoring peace to the region. 

The grave of former French justice minister Robert Badinter was desecrated on Thursday, hours before President Emmanuel Macron is set to dedicate a cenotaph in his memory in a Paris mausoleum, one of the highest honours in France.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, a ceasefire and hostage deal that could be a first step toward ending a two-year-old war that has roiled the Middle East.

The recent agreement between Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough — and an early victory for U.S. President Donald Trump.

A Greek court has ruled that 12 Turks arrested in northern Greece on accusations of participating in an international criminal group smuggling weapons into the country should be detained pending trial, legal sources said on Thursday.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he was very pleased that Hamas-Israel negotiations had resulted in a Gaza ceasefire deal, adding that Turkey would closely monitor its strict implementation and continue to contribute to the process.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release under his plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave.

Israeli hostages may be released as early as Saturday under a U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza and the country's military will complete the first part of a partial withdrawal from the enclave within 24 hours of the deal being signed, said a source briefed on details of the agreement.

Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, a ceasefire and hostage deal that could open the way to ending a bloody two-year-old war that has upended the Middle East.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he may travel to Egypt this weekend as his negotiators seek to seal a Gaza hostages-for-ceasefire deal.