Hamas, which most western countries consider to be a terrorist group, is on good terms with Russia, frequently sending delegations to Moscow. Qatar, the west’s preferred interlocutor with Hamas, has been unable to find the basis for a further hostage swap between Israel and the Palestinian group,

Israel says it is investigating claims that some investors may have known of Hamas's attack on Israel before it took place on 7 October. An academic study suggests investors betting against the Israeli economy may have made large sums.

Israeli forces closed in on the city of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, engaging in close combat with Hamas fighters in what could be the decisive battle of the two-month-old war.

Top UN officials are warning of an "apocalyptic" situation in war-torn Gaza with "no place safe to go" for civilians, as Israel's war with Hamas spreads to the south, where many had previously sought refuge.

Israel renewed calls Monday for mass evacuations from the southern town of Khan Younis as the military widened its ground offensive, striking some 200 Hamas terror targets. Arab and Israeli media reported on Israeli military attacks throughout the Gaza Strip overnight Sunday and into the early hours of Monday,

I held several rounds of intensive phone calls with partners in Israel, Egypt, Qatar and other nations. As we remain intensely engaged in a basically nonstop discussion of the developments in the region since Hamas's devastating terrorist attacks on October 7th,