Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Hamas's political leaders were scheduled to meet Egyptian officials in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss prospects of a truce in Gaza and the political and security status of the enclave after the war.
Egyptian officials said the talks between Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who is accompanied by several officials from the Gaza-based militant group, would be primarily focused on what have become known as “day after” scenarios where hostilities between Israel and Hamas have ceased.
The talks in Cairo, said the Egyptian officials, are on a separate but related track from negotiations to reach a humanitarian truce and another hostage and prisoner swap.
Those talks – mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt – are in their final stages and could reach fruition if compromises are reached on several outstanding issues, according to the officials, who have direct knowledge of the process.
Hamas, said the officials, was proposing the release of about 50 hostages, including serving members of the Israeli military, in exchange for 300 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
The timing of the releases would be staggered and their continuation will depend upon both sides observing the terms of the deal, they said.
Differences that still need to be ironed out include the duration of a ceasefire, with Israel offering a temporary but renewable truce, while Hamas is insisting on a permanent ceasefire and full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the tiny coastal enclave, said the officials.
Israel also wants to create at least four buffer zones inside the strip to deny Hamas and other militants direct access to its territory, said the officials.
Israel also has reservations about some of the high-profile members of Hamas and the mainstream Fatah faction that the militant group wants released from Israeli prisons.
The negotiations on both tracks are proceeding as the UN Security Council was set to vote later on Wednesday on a resolution calling for a pause in the conflict. The US, Israel's closest ally and aid benefactor, vetoed a previous ceasefire resolution in the council, leading to condemnation by Palestinian and humanitarian groups.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas fighters rampaged in southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages.
The attack, the deadliest in Israel's history, drew a harsh response from Israel, whose bombardment and ground operations in Gaza have to date killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians, displaced 1.9 million of the strip's 2.3 million residents and laid to waste many built-up areas across the territory.
During a week-long truce that ended on December 1, a total of 240 Palestinians were released from Israeli jails in exchange for 80 hostages freed by Hamas. The truce was mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt.
Israel's leaders are now facing growing calls to secure the release of the remainder of the Hamas-held hostages and on Tuesday signaled its willingness to return to the negotiating table with Hamas.
Israeli President Issac Herzog said his country was “ready for another humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian aid in order to enable the release of hostages.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had recently sent his spy chief on two trips to Europe in an effort to “free our hostages”.
US news site Axios reported on Monday that David Barnea, head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and CIA director William Burns in Europe to discuss a deal to free hostages.
In Cairo, the officials said Mr Haniyeh and his delegates were partially in Cairo to ensure they are not left out of “day after” scenarios being discussed among the US, Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and, indirectly, Hamas leaders residing in Gaza and closely associated with the group's military wing.
Proposals floated for post-hostilities Gaza include a demilitarised Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank. They also include legislative and presidential elections and subsequently empowering the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah to run both areas.
A multinational force in which Jordan and Egypt are envisioned to play a leading role is also proposed for deployment in Gaza for a limited period following Israel's withdrawal.
Egypt in 1979 became the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel. It borders both Israel and Gaza. Jordan followed in Egypt's footsteps and signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Read more about the coronavirus
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
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