7m agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 7:44pm
Trump says he will head to the Middle East this weekend
Trump says he will head to the Middle East on Sunday after Israel-Hamas hostage deal.
The president opened a meeting with his cabinet at the White House on Thursday (local time) by speaking about the peace deal and his plan to travel to the Middle East.
Trump also said he has been invited to speak before the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, during the trip.
He said he would be the first US president to address the Knesset, but that’s not accurate.
Former president George W Bush spoke before the parliamentary body in May 2008.
24m agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 7:27pmPalestinian prisoners to be released in exchange
Hamas’s lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya has said the first phase of the ceasefire deal will see the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, most of whom have not been charged or convicted.
He said 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 prisoners from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after October 7, 2023 will be released, in addition to the release of all children and women.
Marwan Bargouthi, the high-profile Palestinian prisoner who many want to be their future leader, is not going to be released according to Israel. Neither will the bodies of Hamas leaders Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar.
There are more than 11,000 Palestinians in Israeli detention according to data provided by the Israel Prison Service, 87 per cent of which have never been charged or convicted.
From those 2,673 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip are held in indefinite detention without trial as “unlawful combatants”.
Mr al-Hayya also said that agreement was meant to lead to a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the entry of aid.
He said Hamas had “received assurances” from the mediators and the US that the developments meant the war had “completely ended”.
32m agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 7:19pm
Ben-Gvir issues Netanyahu ultimatum over Hamas
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned on Thursday that his Jewish Power party would push to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in Israel unless Hamas was ultimately dismantled.
“If the Hamas government is not dismantled, or if they only tell us that it is dismantled while in reality it continues to exist under a different guise – Jewish Power will dismantle the government,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement ahead of an Israeli Cabinet meeting to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release plan.
Reporting with Reuters
44m agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 7:08pmA meeting in New York was the turning point, Rubio says
Donald Trump discussed the peace plan with leaders from Arab and Muslim-majority nations in New York last month. (Reuters: Al Drago)
A meeting between Donald Trump and the leaders of Muslim-majority countries was the turning point that led to the peace deal breakthrough, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump presented the peace plan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, at a meeting with the leaders of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking at today’s cabinet meeting in Washington, Rubio told Trump:
“Remember a month ago, no-one thought this was possible.
“We really took a turn … less than a couple weeks ago when we were at the United Nations and you convened an historic meeting not simply of Arab countries, but of Muslim-majority countries from around the world, including Indonesia was there, Pakistan was there, and created this coalition behind this plan.
“Then on that following Monday, you met with the Prime Minister of Israel here, and that plan was presented.
“And then, of course, our great negotiating team followed up on it in the interim.”
47m agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 7:04pmTrump to visit Israel
The office of Israel’s president says Donald Trump is expected to visit Jerusalem on Sunday.
An event scheduled for Sunday at the Israeli president’s residence in Jerusalem was cancelled “in light of the expected release of the hostages, and … the upcoming visit of President of the United States Donald J. Trump to Israel,” the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement on Thursday.
“The decision was made due to anticipated security closures in Jerusalem surrounding the visit and the historic developments unfolding in the coming days.”
Reporting with AFP
1h agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 6:51pmTrump says hostages should be released ‘Monday or Tuesday’
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Donald Trump has spoken to his cabinet secretaries, and the media, at a meeting here in Washington overnight:
“As you know, last night we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something that people said was never going to be done.
“We ended the war in Gaza and really, on a much bigger basis, created peace.
“And I think it’s going to be a lasting peace, hopefully, an everlasting peace. Peace in the Middle East.”
The US president said he expected Israeli hostages to be returned “Monday or Tuesday”.
“Getting them is a complicated process. I’d rather not tell you what they have to do to get them. There are places you don’t want to be.”
(Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
Trump said he hoped to take part in an “additional signing” of the agreement in Egypt next week.
“I’m going to try and make a trip over there,” Trump said.
“We’re working on the timing, the exact timing.”
Later in the meeting, he said he had been asked to speak to the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.
Israeli media reported Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu invited Trump to make the address.
“If they would like me, I will do it,” Trump said.
1h agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 6:22pmIsraeli cabinet meetings underway
We’ve been hearing in the last little while that a meeting of Israel’s security cabinet has wrapped up.
That’s according to news wire Reuters, who now says a meeting of Israeli government ministers is now set to commence.
The two meetings, held back to back, will allow members of the Netanyahu government to approve the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage release plan.
An Israeli government spokesperson said earlier the ceasefire would go into force within 24 hours of the government meeting.
After that 24-hour period, the hostages held in Gaza would be freed within 72 hours. The government meeting was due to follow a just completed meeting of the Israeli security cabinet.
Reporting with Reuters
1h agoThu 9 Oct 2025 at 6:16pmGood morning, and welcome to our live blog
We’re coming online this morning to bring you the latest on what could be a major breakthrough in the Middle East. It follows yesterday’s announcement that Israel and Hamas had signed a peace deal that could bring to an end two years of fighting.
Here’s what has happened overnight:
US President Donald Trump says Israeli hostages still under Hamas capture will be released Monday or Tuesday.Israel’s security cabinet and cabinet are meeting to sign off on the peace deal, the last hurdle before it officially comes into force.The deal stipulates that Israeli forces would partially withdraw from parts of Gaza within 24 hours.
Our team in the Middle East and reporters here at home will be bringing you the latest as it breaks in coming hours. Stay with us.