Middle East

Royal Navy The boats were travelling across the Gulf of Oman A Plymouth-based ship has intercepted three small boats travelling across the Gulf of Oman carrying £35m worth of illegal narcotics, the Royal Navy has said. Commando snipers from Bickleigh barracks were used to disable the boats and the Navy …

Tammy GoodingBBC Hereford & Worcester House of Commons Former Worcester MP, Mike Foster, was a minister in Sir Tony Blair’s government A former Labour MP for Worcester has said former prime minster Sir Tony Blair would be well-placed to help lead the peace process in Gaza. President Trump’s 20-point peace …

Footage published by the Israeli military shows the freed hostages moments after they were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza and brought to Israel. Israeli hostages Alon Ohel and Guy Gilboa-Dalal are seen speaking to IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers after representatives of the Red Cross handed them over to …

Reuters US President Donald Trump has said “the war is over” as he travels to Israel for the release of hostages from Gaza under the ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas. Speaking on board Air Force One, he said the ceasefire would hold and a “board of peace” would …

Alice CuddyTel Aviv and Jaroslav Lukiv Tel Aviv crowd boos as Witkoff thanks Netanyahu Hundreds of thousands of people have held a rally in Tel Aviv, ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages by Hamas. Addressing the crowds, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said the hostages “are coming home” …

Caroline HawleyDiplomatic correspondent BBC Alaa Abdel Fattah spoke via video link to the BBC’s Today programme “I’m learning how to get back into life,” says freed British-Egyptian pro-democracy activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, as he recovers from more than a decade in jail in Egypt. “I’m doing much better than I …

BBC A ceasefire deal has taken effect in Gaza that should see Hamas release all the 48 Israeli and foreign hostages it is still holding after two years of war, 20 of whom are assumed to be alive. All but one were among the 251 people abducted during the Palestinian …

“There is a sense of happiness” in Gaza, says BBC correspondent US President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of his Gaza peace plan, in a major step towards a permanent end to their war. It comes two years and two days after the …

Alice Cuddyin Jerusalem, Helen Sullivan and James Chater Getty Images “Matan is coming home!” Mother of hostage Einav Zangauker (right) said while celebrating in Tel Aviv World leaders have welcomed the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza peace plan. The deal paves …

Hugo BachegaMiddle East correspondent, Jerusalem Watch: Palestinians react to Gaza peace deal announcement The ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, announced after intense negotiations in Egypt, is a long-awaited breakthrough that brings them closer to ending the two-year-old war in Gaza. But, despite the momentum, there is no …

The committee which organised Syria’s first parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad has acknowledged “significant shortcomings”, after results showed only 13% of the seats contested were won by female and minority candidates. Observers said six women and 10 members of religious and ethnic minorities were among the 119 …

Rushdi AbualoufGaza correspondent, Istanbul EPA Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled an Israeli offensive in Gaza City in recent months “In these two years, I lost so much,” says Emaan al-Wahidi. She is living in a rented garage, struggling each day to find food and clean water, and has …

Jeremy Bowen International editor, Jerusalem Anadolu via Getty Images Israel’s devastating military response to the 7 October attacks has destroyed most of Gaza After two years of war, there is a chance of a deal that will end the killing and destruction in Gaza and return the Israeli hostages, living …

President Trump this week signed an executive order vowing to use all measures – including the US military – to defend the Gulf state of Qatar. The text says Washington will view any armed attack on the tiny energy-rich nation as a threat to the Unites States itself and will …

The BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Yolande Knell and Gaza Correspondent Rushdi Abualouf talk about their memories of 7 October. BBC News

Israel says it has deported 171 more foreign activists, including Swedish climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg, who were detained when Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla trying to breach its naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid last week. The Israeli foreign ministry said the activists were flown to Greece and …

Getty Images Negotiators from Israel and Hamas are heading to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, to start indirect talks over an end to the Israel-Gaza war. It is the closest both sides have come to a deal since the war began two years ago But Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan – which …

Families of Israelis held hostage in Gaza have told the BBC they are hopeful that US President Donald Trump’s plan for ending the war will bring their loved ones home. Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is among 20 hostages held in Gaza who are still believed to be alive, said …

Hamas agreeing to release the remaining hostages, albeit subject to negotiations and certain conditions being met, will give real hope to the family members in Israel who have been desperate for this kind of news for a very long time. In its statement responding to the US peace proposal, the …

Noor NanjiCulture reporter Getty Images Dave Chappelle is one of the A-listers performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival “There were sex jokes, and trans jokes. It’s really unusual to see this kind of comedy here in Saudi Arabia.” That’s how one ex-pat summed up the performances she’s seen, at the …