An agreement that would see the release of some hostages held by Hamas in Gaza is the closest it has been since the start of the Israel-Gaza war on October 7, the White House said on Sunday.
US deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said some of the issues in the negotiations have “narrowed” in recent days.
“We are closer than we have been in quite some time, maybe closer than we have been since the beginning of this process to getting this deal done,” Mr Finer said.
“Some of the outstanding areas of disagreement in a very complicated, very sensitive negotiation have been narrowed,” he said. He did warn that any potential deal could still fall apart with minimal notice.
“We really need to adhere to the mantra that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,” he said.
About 240 hostages, including at least nine US citizens, are believed to have been held hostage in Gaza since October 7, when gunmen from Hamas attacked Israel and killed about 1,200 people.
Israel retaliated with air strikes and an unprecedented ground invasion of Gaza that has killed more than 12,000 people, the majority of them women and children.
Israel says it wants to eradicate Hamas, and that no ceasefire can be agreed upon until all hostages are released.
The negotiations come as Israel has been expanding its ground operation in Gaza, which has included striking and taking over the enclave's main hospital Al Shifa.
“It is not our position … to play real-time judge and jury on the question of any particular incident,” Mr Finer said when asked whether the US believed Israel was adhering to international law.
On Sunday, The Washington Post reported that Israel, the US and Hamas were close to reaching an agreement to release dozens of women and children hostages in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting.
Last month, Hamas released two US citizens following mediation efforts by Qatar.
“We are hopeful that we can get a significant number of hostages released in the counting days,” Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog said in an interview on ABC on Sunday.
Mr Herzog said that Israel was still opposed to a ceasefire, but that it was willing to negotiate a pause for a few days to allow the release of hostages.
“We are talking about a pause in fighting for a few days so we can get the hostages, but it's not a ceasefire,” he said.
“We are willing to go for a pause for a significant number of hostages if we can get a deal.”
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
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The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
Company%20Profile
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About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
England Test squad
Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised
General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.
"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.
He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
