International
Indirect Gaza talks begin between Hamas, Israel in Egypt
Indirect Gaza talks begin between Hamas, Israel in Egypt
CAIRO: Delegations from Hamas and Israel on Monday began indirect talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh on ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, Egyptian state-linked media reported.
Al-Qahera News, which is linked to state intelligence, said the delegations “are discussing preparing ground conditions for the release of detainees and prisoners,” in line with a proposal from US President Donald Trump to halt hostilities.
“Egyptian and Qatari mediators are working with both sides to establish a mechanism” for the exchange of hostages held in Gaza for the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, they added.
Behind closed doors and under tight security, negotiators will speak through mediators shuttling back and forth, only weeks after Israel tried to kill Hamas’s lead negotiators in a strike on Qatar.
The Hamas delegation, led by top negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya who survived the attack in Doha, held a meeting with Egyptian intelligence officials ahead of the talks, according to an Egyptian security source.
This round of negotiations, launched on the eve of the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war, “may last for several days,” said a Palestinian source close to Hamas’s leadership.
“We expect the negotiations to be difficult and complex, given the occupation’s intentions to continue its war of extermination,” he told AFP.
Trump, whose envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected in Egypt, has urged negotiators to “move fast” to end the war in Gaza, where Israeli strikes continued on Monday.
At least seven Palestinians were killed in the latest Israeli air strikes, according to Mahmud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s civil defense agency.
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AFP footage showed explosions in the Gaza Strip, with plumes of smoke rising over the skyline, even after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel must stop bombing the territory.
‘Require several days’
Both Hamas and Israel have responded positively to Trump’s proposal, but reaching an agreement on the details is set to be a herculean task.
The plan envisages the disarmament of Hamas, which the militant group is unlikely to accept.
It also provides for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, but Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to redeploy troops “deep inside” the territory while securing the release of hostages.
According to the Palestinian source, the initial hostage-prisoner exchange will “require several days, depending on field conditions related to Israeli withdrawals, the cessation of bombardment and the suspension of all types of air operations.”
Previous rounds of negotiations have also stalled over the names of Palestinian prisoners the Islamist group proposed for release.
Negotiations will look to “determine the date of a temporary truce,” a Hamas official said, as well as create conditions for a first phase of the plan, in which 47 hostages held in Gaza are to be released in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
Mirjana Spoljaric, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has coordinated previous exchanges, said its teams were standing at the ready “to help bring hostages and detainees back to their families.”
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The ICRC said it was ready to facilitate aid access, which must resume “at full capacity” and be distributed safely across the territory, where the UN has declared a famine.
‘MOVE FAST’
Posting on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump praised “positive discussions with Hamas” and allies around the world including Arab and Muslim nations.
“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” he wrote.
On Monday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi praised Trump’s plan saying it offered “the right path to lasting peace and stability.”
A Palestinian source close to Hamas said it would halt its military operations in parallel with Israel stopping its bombardment and withdrawing its troops from Gaza City.
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned if the negotiations failed, then the military would “return to fighting” in Gaza.
Militants seized 251 hostages during their October 7, 2023 attack, 47 of whom are still in Gaza. Of those, the Israeli military says 25 are dead.
According to Trump’s plan, in return for the hostages, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and more than 1,700 detainees from Gaza taken during the war.
Hamas has insisted it should have a say in the territory’s future, though Trump’s roadmap stipulates that it and other factions “not have any role in the governance of Gaza.”
Under the proposal, administration of the territory would be taken up by a technocratic body overseen by a transitional authority headed by Trump himself.
“We hope Trump will pressure Netanyahu and force him to stop the war,” said Ahmad Barbakh, from the Al-Mawasi area.
“We want the prisoner exchange deal to be completed quickly so that Israel has no excuse to continue the war.”
Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.
Indirect Gaza talks begin between Hamas, Israel in Egypt
ARAB NEWS
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International
Miami Teen Receives 17-Year Jail Term For Boyfriend’s Fatal Stabbing
Miami Teen Receives 17-Year Jail Term For Boyfriend’s Fatal Stabbing
, the South Florida teenager convicted over the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after an emotional court hearing that left both families devastated.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Christine Hernandez, who ruled that Malik would serve 17 years in a Florida state prison followed by five years of reporting probation for the 2024 killing of 17-year-old Yahkeim “Keimo” Lollar.
The tragic incident occurred on December 20, 2024, at an apartment complex in Miami’s Liberty City neighbourhood. Prosecutors told the court that Malik stabbed Lollar in the chest during an argument inside a parking garage near Northwest Sixth Court and 61st Street.
Although Malik was 17 years old at the time of the incident, she was prosecuted as an adult. Earlier this year, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and carrying a concealed weapon without reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors, leaving the final sentencing decision to the judge.
During the hearing, Judge Hernandez imposed additional probation conditions on Malik, including mandatory yearly reflection letters about the crime and its consequences.
“You will have to write a letter December 20th of every year that you’re on probation acknowledging what occurred and how it has affected your life,” the judge said in court.
The judge also ordered a mental health evaluation for the teenager as part of her probation requirements.
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Court proceedings became emotional as members of Lollar’s family delivered victim impact statements. His mother, Nathalie Jean, expressed relief after the ruling and said she believed justice had finally been served.
“I’m glad today my son can finally rest in peace knowing that justice was served,” she said after the sentencing.
Jean added that she hoped Malik would reflect deeply on the damage caused by the stabbing.
“I hope that when she goes to prison and gets processed, she thinks about the lives that she destroyed and how much she affected our families,” she stated.
During the hearing, prosecutors reportedly played surveillance footage showing Lollar’s final moments after the stabbing. Testimony from investigators revealed that the knife wound penetrated the teenager’s chest and struck his heart.
Before the sentence was announced, Malik addressed the court directly and apologised for her actions.
“Every day I sit and think about the damage I caused,” she told the judge.
“The family wants me in prison, but I’m in my own prison for the rest of my life. This was my best friend, my love and someone I could vent to about anything and everything,” Malik added tearfully.
Defense attorneys had urged the court to sentence Malik as a youthful offender and place her in a correctional boot camp programme instead of prison, arguing that she was still a juvenile when the incident occurred.
However, prosecutors requested a tougher punishment of 20 years imprisonment followed by 10 years probation, insisting the seriousness of the crime required a substantial sentence.
Judge Hernandez ultimately rejected the request for youthful offender treatment, saying the evidence showed the stabbing was not accidental.
“Although I do believe that you are remorseful, I do not believe that this was an isolated incident of aggression,” the judge said.
Following the hearing, emotions remained high outside the courthouse. While Lollar’s relatives embraced one another and welcomed the ruling, some members of Malik’s family argued that the sentence was too harsh for someone who was still a teenager at the time of the crime.
The case has continued to attract widespread attention across the United States due to the age of those involved and the emotional courtroom scenes surrounding the sentencing.
Miami Teen Receives 17-Year Jail Term For Boyfriend’s Fatal Stabbing
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International
US Warns Parents Owing $2,500 Child Support Risk Passport Revocation
US Warns Parents Owing $2,500 Child Support Risk Passport Revocation
The United States government has warned that citizens who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support risk having their passports revoked or denied under existing federal regulations governing child support enforcement.
The US Department of State said the measure applies to individuals who fall behind on court-ordered child support payments, stressing that such persons will not be eligible to obtain or renew a US passport until their debts are cleared.
In its advisory, the department stated that affected individuals are typically identified through federal and state child support enforcement systems and notified through email or postal mail using contact details provided in their passport records.
The agency warned: “If you owe more than $2,500, federal regulations do not allow us to issue you a U.S. passport and we may revoke your valid U.S. passport.”
It also urged affected persons to contact their state child support enforcement agency immediately to make payment arrangements and avoid passport restrictions or revocation.
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The State Department explained that even after repayment, a revoked passport cannot be used for travel, meaning holders must apply for a new passport before regaining full travel privileges.
It further noted that in urgent travel situations, coordination between state agencies and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to update records and clear names from enforcement lists may take about 2–3 weeks.
The department also warned that US citizens abroad whose passports are revoked may only be issued limited-validity emergency travel documents to return home, until their child support debts are fully settled and verified.
According to the agency, applicants must first clear all outstanding arrears through their state child support enforcement agency before any passport application can be processed.
The policy is based on the 1996 federal child support enforcement law, which allows US authorities to deny, revoke, or restrict passports for individuals owing significant child support debt.
While the law has existed for decades, the State Department said improved coordination and data sharing between state agencies and federal systems have made enforcement more consistent and effective in recent years.
US Warns Parents Owing $2,500 Child Support Risk Passport Revocation
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International
Outrage as Israeli Soldier Poses With Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue’s Mouth
Outrage as Israeli Soldier Poses With Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue’s Mouth
The Israeli military has opened an investigation after a soldier was photographed smoking and placing another cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon, triggering outrage among Christian leaders and residents in the region.
The controversial image, which spread rapidly across social media platforms, was reportedly taken in the Christian-majority village of Debel in southern Lebanon. The incident has intensified tensions amid ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah despite a fragile ceasefire agreement.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the soldier’s conduct as unacceptable and said the military viewed the matter with “utmost severity.”
According to the military, the soldier’s actions were inconsistent with the ethical standards expected of Israeli troops. The IDF added that disciplinary action would be taken after the completion of an internal investigation.
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Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani stated that the photograph had been taken several weeks earlier and stressed that the military respects religious freedom and holy sites.
“The IDF respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities,” he said.
The controversy comes only weeks after another incident in the same village where an Israeli soldier was filmed striking a statue of Jesus Christ on the cross with a sledgehammer. Following widespread criticism, two soldiers involved in that case reportedly received 30-day prison sentences and were removed from combat duties.
Reacting to the latest incident, head of Debel’s congregation, Father Fadi Felfeli, condemned the act, describing it as offensive and unethical.
“Honestly, this issue really provoked us, especially after the apology regarding the cross,” he told the BBC.
Father Felfeli accused some members of the Israeli army of displaying intolerance toward Christians and religious symbols.
“It also shows that there are individuals within the army that lack ethics and values and are bigoted. This reflects a great deal of fanaticism,” he added.
Although the Virgin Mary statue was not physically damaged, the cleric said the act reflected extremism and disrespect toward a peaceful Christian community that has tried to remain neutral during the conflict.
The Custodia Terrae Sanctae, which represents the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Land, also condemned the incident. The organisation described the soldier’s actions as “disrespectful and outrageous behaviour” and called on Israeli authorities to ensure accountability.
The church body urged the Israeli government and the military to send a strong message that attacks or acts of disrespect toward religious symbols would not be tolerated.
The incident has further raised concerns about growing hostility toward Christian sites and religious symbols amid the ongoing Israel-Lebanon conflict. Christian leaders have repeatedly warned against attacks on churches, clergy and sacred monuments in the region.
Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah continue despite a US-mediated ceasefire agreement that took effect in April. Israeli troops remain stationed in parts of southern Lebanon, while both sides continue to accuse each other of violating the truce.
Lebanese health authorities claim Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have killed more than 120 people in the past week, including civilians. Hezbollah has also continued rocket, drone and mortar attacks targeting Israeli troops and communities in northern Israel.
On Wednesday night, Israel carried out an air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time since the ceasefire began. The Israeli military claimed the strike killed Ahmed Ali Balout, identified as a commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, although Hezbollah had not officially confirmed the claim at the time of reporting.
Lebanese officials say at least 2,715 people have been killed since the conflict escalated in March, while Israeli authorities report that 17 soldiers and one civilian have died in southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also reportedly been killed in northern Israel.
Outrage as Israeli Soldier Poses With Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue’s Mouth
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