Middle East live updates: Israeli forces strike Houthi targets in Yemen, IDF says

(NEW YORK) — Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met on Friday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss how to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We had a number of fruitful conversations, a number of things for us to follow up and work on,” Vance said. “And fundamentally, the goal is, as President Trump outlined it, we want the war to come to a close.”

“We want the killing to stop, but we want to achieve a durable, lasting peace, not the kind of peace that’s going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road,” the vice president said.

Zelenskyy thanked the U.S. and President Donald Trump for supporting Ukraine. He said they will work together on a plan to “stop” Russian President Vladimir Putin but emphasized Ukraine will need certain security guarantees as they move forward.

“We have good conversation today,” Zelenskyy said. “Our first meeting, not last, sure and really, what we need to speak for, to work for and to prepare the plan how to stop Putin and finish the war. We want, really, we want peace very much, but we need real security guarantees, and we will continue our meetings and our work.”

The meeting came on the heels of Trump’s 90-minute call with Putin on Wednesday, his first major diplomatic foray into the conflict he vowed on the campaign trail to bring to an end as soon as he entered office.

Trump also spoke with Zelenskyy that day, but his decision to speak with Putin first prompted criticism from the Ukrainian leader and other U.S. allies. Trump defended the decision on Thursday, saying he needed to know if Russia wanted to “make a deal.”

The administration has offered mixed messages on its position toward negotiations.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine and called full territorial liberation of Ukraine’s pre-war borders an “unrealistic” goal. Hegseth also said there would be no U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine.

Vance, however, told the Wall Street Journal the option of military action is on the table if Russia doesn’t negotiate in “good faith.”

“There are economic tools of leverage, there are of course military tools of leverage” the U.S. could use against Putin, Vance said in an interview with the newspaper.

When Trump was asked on Thursday what Russia should have to give up during negotiations, he sidestepped.

“As far as the negotiation, it’s too early to say what is going to happen,” Trump said. “Maybe Russia will give up a lot. Maybe they won’t.”

Zelenskyy said on Friday he is counting on Trump and the U.S. for support in the negotiations and that he won’t meet with Putin until “we have a joint plan with Trump and the EU.”

When asked whether negotiations will move forward even if Ukraine does not want to come to the table with Putin, Vance sidestepped.

“It’s important for us to get together and start to have the conversations that are going to be necessary to bring this thing to a close,” Vance said. “That’s all I’m going to say for now, because I want to preserve the optionality here for the negotiators and our respective teams to bring this thing to a responsible close.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — A ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Hamas, with the Qatari prime minister announcing the deal Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the November ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.

Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.

116 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes since ceasefire announced

At least 116 Palestinians have been killed and 264 injured since the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced on Wednesday.

Israeli cabinet approves ceasefire deal

The Israeli cabinet met Friday and voted to approve a ceasefire deal reached between Hamas and Israel.

The deal now needs approval from the government before it is ratified by Israel.

The ceasefire is on track to go into effect on Sunday.

Israeli cabinet meeting after Netanyahu says there is a deal

The Israeli cabinet is currently meeting to to discuss and ratify the ceasefire deal reached with Hamas.

“The political-security cabinet discussion began at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem,” read a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released on Friday. “Earlier, an operational security situation assessment was held regarding the implementation of the agreement, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, together with the negotiating team that returned from Doha.”

If a deal is reached, Netanyahu’s office said that hostages could be released as early as Sunday, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

Hostage release could begin as soon as Sunday

Hostages could be released as early as Sunday, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

“Subject to approval by the Cabinet and the government, and the entry into force of the agreement – the release of the hostages can be realized according to the planned outline, in which the hostages are expected to be released as early as Sunday,” the statement read.

Netanyahu’s cabinet has yet to vote on the agreement and a vote has been delayed twice so far on Friday morning.

Gaza’s Civil Defence Agency has said that more than 100 Palestinian’s have died since the initial announcement on Wednesday.

Netanyahu says hostage deal has been reached

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office was informed by the negotiating team that “agreements have been reached on a deal to release the hostages,” his office said in a statement.

Netanyahu’s security cabinet will meet Friday, the statement added. Then, Netanyahu’s cabinet will convene to “approve the deal,” the statement said.

The hostage families have been informed of the agreement, and preparations are being made for their return, the statement said.

86 Palestinians killed in IDF strike since deal announced

At least 86 Palestinians have been killed and 250 others were injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire agreement was announced on Wednesday.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed it has hit at least 50 targets for the second day in a row.

Israel preparing for return of hostages

Israel is preparing for the return of hostages, with its rehabilitation department and the Israel Defense Forces on full alert, according to the Ministry of Defense.

“They will provide all necessary assistance and support to the returning hostages and their families in all aspects, emphasizing close medical and mental health care and support, and will enhance emotional support and guidance for all families,” the ministry said in a statement Thursday.

Israeli cabinet to ratify deal on Friday

The Israeli cabinet will meet on Friday to discuss and ratify the ceasefire deal reached with Hamas, according to a senior Israeli official.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

Ceasefire held up by Hamas demands: Israeli official

A day after a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was announced, the agreement is being held up by disagreements between the two sides, according to a senior Israeli official.

“The hold up is due to new demands by Hamas that Israel will never agree to. Among them, issues regarding Palestinian Prisoners,” an Israeli official told ABC News.

Hamas has denied that it has made more demands and said it is abiding by the ceasefire deal announced on Wednesday and said the ceasefire urgently needs to be implemented.

“Regarding the claims of Netanyahu’s office, I confirm that Hamas is committed to what was agreed upon and to the ceasefire agreement that was announced by the mediators; and no amendments were added. I hope that such statements from Netanyahu’s office are not an attempt to evade their commitment to the ceasefire agreement,” a senior Hamas official told ABC News.

The two sides are also at odds over who controls the Philadelphi corridor — a stretch of land separating Gaza and Egypt. This has been a sticking point throughout months of negotiations.

Israel is accusing Hamas of making a “last minute demand to change the deployment of IDF forces in the Philadelphi corridor,” Israeli spokesman David Mencer said at a press conference Thursday.

Israel wants to retain control of the corridor, saying it needs to do so to prevent the smuggling of weapons to Hamas.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

Hamas ‘desperate’ for Gaza ceasefire deal, Kirby says

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told “Good Morning America” on Thursday that Hamas is “desperate” for a ceasefire deal in Gaza after more than a year of intense fighting.

“Hamas is in a much weaker position now than they were in May when this deal got put on the table,” Kirby said of the ceasefire agreement, a version of which was tabled by President Joe Biden’s administration last summer.

“They’re also more isolated with a ceasefire with Israel and Hezbollah — they can’t count on Hezbollah coming to their aid, Iran is weaker,” Kirby said of Hamas. “There have been a lot of developments that have put Hamas in a situation where they were more desperate to get to a deal. That’s where we are.”

Pressure from President-elect Donald Trump and his team “sent a strong signal to everybody in the region,” including Hamas, the surviving hostages in Gaza and their families, Kirby acknowledged.

“This new Trump team will have to implement this deal which is why President Biden made sure we were keeping them informed and coordinating with them all the way through this process,” Kirby said.

Kirby spoke with GMA shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of trying to renege on parts of the ceasefire agreement, which is yet to be ratified by the Israeli cabinet.

“We’re confident that we’re going to be able to start implementing it on Sunday,” Kirby said, though added there are some “implementing details that still need to be ironed out” with Israel.

As to the future of Gaza, Kirby said Hamas cannot be allowed to remain in control.

“Post-conflict Gaza, all the governance that needs to happen there, meeting the aspirations of the Palestinian people, all that needs to be ironed out, and it’s going to have to be done regionally,” Kirby said.

A collective day-after plan will have to ensure that “Hamas cannot return, cannot be in power, cannot threaten Israel and yet all the aspirations for safety and security of the Palestinian people can be met, as well as those of the Israeli people.”

Of the U.S. hostages slated for possible release, Kirby said the White House knows “several that are still alive.”

“We don’t have perfect visibility on every single one, but I think we have a pretty good sense,” he added. “We know who is going to be coming out in this first tranche. There will be additional Americans coming out in follow-on tranches.

Israeli military will stay in Philadelphi corridor, source says

A senior political official confirmed to ABC News that the Israel Defense Forces will remain in the Philadelphi corridor — the strip of land separating Gaza from Egypt — throughout the first phase of the nascent ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Israeli troops will remain in the corridor throughout the first 42 days of the ceasefire process, the official said, their footprint remaining at its current size with forces deployed in “outposts, patrols, observations and control along the entire length of the axis.”

The official added that if peace talks fail during the first phase of the ceasefire, Israeli forces will stay in the corridor.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

Hamas ‘committed’ to ceasefire, statement says

Hamas said on Thursday they were “committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by the mediators.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier said the organization had attended to renege on “parts” of the agreement.

-ABC News’ Nasser Atta

Israel says Hamas trying to renege on parts of deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday that Hamas was attempting to renege “on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last minute concessions.”

“The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement,” the statement said.

The Israeli cabinet is due to meet on Thursday to approve the ceasefire agreement that was announced on Wednesday. The ceasefire is due to begin on Sunday.

Officials involved in the matter told ABC News the Israeli negotiating team is still in Doha, Qatar, where negotiations have been held.

-ABC News Bruno Nota and Jordana Miller

ICRC ready to facilitate hostage releases, Gaza aid

The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement it is “ready to help implement the agreement reached by the parties and bring hostages and detainees home,” as mediators and combatants in Gaza prepare for Wednesday’s ceasefire deal to come into effect on Sunday.

The ICRC has previously helped facilitate the release of 109 hostages and 154 detainees, the organization said in its statement, describing such operations as “highly complex” and requiring “meticulous logistical and security planning to minimize the risk to life.”

ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said she hopes Wednesday’s agreement “marks a new beginning.”

“Civilian lives must be protected and their needs prioritized,” she added.

“The coming days are critical and we are counting on the parties to hold to their commitments. While the agreement is welcome, it is not the end. There are immense humanitarian needs that must be addressed, which will take months, if not years.”

Khamenei claims Hamas victory in ceasefire

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Gaza ceasefire deal announced Wednesday showed Israel was “forced to retreat.”

“It will be written in books that there was a mob who once killed thousands of children & women in Gaza,” Khamenei said in a post to X.

“Everyone will realize” that the patience of Palestinians and the “steadfastness” of Hamas and other militant groups delivered victory over Israel, the Iranian leader said.

2 American hostages expected to be released in 1st phase of deal: Official

Two living Americans are expected to be among the 33 hostages in Gaza released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, a senior administration official told reporters Wednesday.

Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen are both expected to be released, with Siegel qualifying for release due to his age and Dekel-Chen because of an injury after being shot on Oct. 7, the official said.

“We’re now very hopeful that we begin to see hostages come home as early as Sunday,” the official said.

Edan Alexander, a third living American hostage, will fall in the second release phase because of his Israeli military service, the official said, adding that the U.S. remains fully committed to getting him out.

The remains of four American hostages also remain in Gaza, President Joe Biden said. The remains of deceased hostages will be returned in phase three, he said.

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle and Kelsey Walsh

12 people killed in Gaza City bombings: Civil Defense

Twelve people were killed and at least 20 people were injured after bombings in Gaza City within the past hour, Gaza’s Civil Defense said.

The attacks were reported after the announcement of a hostage and ceasefire deal, the first phase of which isn’t set to go into effect until Sunday.

-ABC News’ Sami Zyara

Biden announces ceasefire deal

President Joe Biden released a statement saying Hamas and Israel had agreed to a deal, “after many months of intensive diplomacy,” by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

“I laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council,” Biden said in the statement. “It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran — but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done.”

Biden also highlighted the three living American hostages who are still being held, and the four remains of American hostages yet to be returned.

What comes next in ceasefire process?

While a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Hamas and Israeli negotiators, the Israeli government still needs to approve the deal.

The deal is expected to be approved, but it will take several votes.

Netanyahu says Philadelphi snag was resolved

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said in a statement that the snag about control of the Philadelphia axis — the strip of land between Gaza and Egypt — has been worked out.

However, his office said they are still working out several unresolved issues.

“In light of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s firm stance, Hamas has backed down on its demand at the last minute to change the deployment of forces on the Philadelphia axis,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement. “However, there are still several unresolved clauses in the outline, and we hope that the details will be finalized tonight.”

Trump celebrates ceasefire, takes credit for deal

President-elect Donald Trump immediately posted on Truth Social about the agreement on the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

He wrote, in all caps, “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!”

He then also followed that up with a post taking credit for the deal, though the Biden administration has also been involved in the negotiations.

“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump wrote.

Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire agreement

A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, more than 15 months into the conflict.

A new round of ceasefire negotiations began on Jan. 3 in Qatar. Delegations from Israel and Hamas were dispatched to Doha to resume the negotiations, which were brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The Biden administration also helped broker the talks.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had previously told reporters the United States wanted a ceasefire deal in Gaza and all remaining captives released before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Blinken on Jan. 6 reported “intensified engagement,” including by Hamas, on reaching a deal, though he added, “We are yet to see agreement on final points.”

Click here for more on the agreement.

Ceasefire deal hits last-minute snag: Israeli source

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has hit a last-minute snag, with both sides at odds over the Philadelphia axis, a piece of land separating the Gaza Strip and Egypt, according to an Israeli source with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

“The Israeli negotiating team was recently informed that the Hamas terrorist organization decided at the last minute to make new demands – this time regarding the Philadelphia axis, in contrast to the maps that have already been approved by the cabinet and American mediators. Israel strongly opposes any changes to these maps,” the Israeli source told ABC News.

Hamas has given green light to ceasefire deal, sources say

Two sources close to the ceasefire negotiations tell ABC News Hamas has given the green light to the agreement.

“We are very close,” the sources said. “The goal (is) an agreement today or tomorrow.”

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

IDF attacks 50 Gaza targets as ceasefire deal nears

The Israel Defense Forces and Israeli intelligence agencies coordinated to attack around 50 targets across the Gaza Strip in the previous 24 hours, the IDF said in a Wednesday morning post to X.

The attacks targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the IDF said.

It reported strikes in Gaza City in the north of the strip, Khan Younis in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

The targets included “terrorist cells, weapons depots, underground infrastructure, anti-tank positions and military structures,” the IDF said.

The latest wave of strikes came as ceasefire negotiators in Qatar reportedly neared a deal to pause — and eventually scale down — the 15-month-old war.

Israel, Hamas agree on core elements of Gaza ceasefire, but haggling over details: US officials

Israel and the highest ranks of Hamas have now agreed to the core elements of the hostage release-ceasefire deal on the table, but both sides are continuing to haggle over the details of the proposal, according to two officials familiar with the negotiations.

The outstanding differences are seen as relatively minor, but talks are expected to continue into Wednesday, the officials said.

Many of the items that are still being ironed out are tied to stubborn sticking points that have emerged in the past, like the operation of the Rafah border crossing and Israeli security concerns connected to the movement of displaced Palestinians back to their homes in northern Gaza.

The disagreements are unlikely to derail progress at this point, according to the officials.

Two of the three Americans that are possibly alive inside Gaza are poised to be released in the initial days or weeks of the ceasefire if an agreement is reached, but an official said they expect the releases will happen slower than they did during the truce in November 2023.

While they don’t have recent proof of life for the two Americans, the assumption is that they and most — but not all — of the 33 hostages freed under the deal will be returned alive.

-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston

Israel waiting to hear back from Hamas on ceasefire agreement

Israel is currently waiting to hear back from Hamas on the most recent draft language of a ceasefire deal, sources told ABC News.

The two sides are reportedly closer to an agreement than ever before, according to a spokesperson for Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani.

“The ongoing talks in Doha regarding Gaza are fruitful, positive and focus on the final details. Meetings are underway in Doha between the parties to the agreement and we are awaiting updates from them,” the spokesperson told ABC News.

Implementation of the agreement will begin shortly after it is announced, according to the spokesperson.

Qatar expecting ceasefire deal ‘soon’

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a Tuesday briefing that participants in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha are close to a ceasefire deal.

“We expect the agreement to be announced soon,” the spokesperson said during the press conference.

Qatar is a key mediator between Israel and Hamas and has hosted several rounds of ceasefire talks in the capital Doha.

-ABC News’ Nasser Atta

61 Palestinians killed in Gaza as ceasefire talks continue

The Gaza Ministry of Health said Tuesday that Israel Defense Forces strikes killed at least 61 Palestinians in the previous 24 hours and injured 281 more in the Hamas-run territory.

The total number of Palestinians killed since the war broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, is now 46,645 with 110,012 people injured, according to the ministry.

-ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian

Hamas says Gaza talks are in ‘final stages’

Hamas said in a statement Tuesday that ceasefire, prisoner and hostage release talks with Israel are in their “final stages,” adding it hopes “that this round of negotiations will end with a clear and comprehensive agreement.”

In a statement posted to the group’s website, Hamas said it held meetings and consultations with leaders of other Palestinian factions regarding the progress made in ongoing negotiations in Doha, Qatar.

“During these contacts, the leaders of the forces and factions expressed their satisfaction with the course of the negotiations, stressing the need for general national preparation for the next stage and its requirements,” Hamas said.

-ABC News’ Nasser Atta

Israel hoping for ceasefire announcement ‘soon,’ official says

An Israeli government official told ABC News on Tuesday morning they “hope we can announce something soon” regarding a potential ceasefire in Gaza.

The official said there had been “real progress” on every part of the negotiation in the last few days.

The official added that Hamas has changed and they are no longer “dictating” the terms, but are negotiating. “We are close, but not there yet,” they said.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

Sirens sound in central Israel after projectile launched from Yemen: IDF

A projectile was fired from Yemen towards Israel, the IDF said in a release early Tuesday morning local time.

Sirens were sounded in a number of areas in central Israel, the IDF said.

Latest on hostages in ceasefire deal

Thirty-three hostages, living and dead, are expected to be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire deal, according to a person with direct knowledge of the ongoing negotiations.

There are 94 abductees remaining in Gaza, including 34 who have been confirmed dead, according to Israeli officials.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

‘Real chance’ of ceasefire success, source says

A source close to the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar told ABC News that Israel is waiting for Hamas to approve moving into a final “closing round of negotiations,” adding there is a “real chance” for a “breakthrough” after a diplomatic blitz in Doha this weekend.

“We still have ahead of us a closing round of negotiations,” the source added

Reuters reported Monday that mediators in Qatar handed both Israel and Hamas a final draft of the ceasefire proposal, citing an official briefed on the negotiations.

Reuters reported that the official said a breakthrough was reached after talks between Steve Witkoff — President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy — the Qatari prime minister and Israeli spy chiefs.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, meanwhile, said Monday “there is progress,” and that the situation “looks much better than previously.”

“I don’t want to say more than that because I realize there are families and they are sensitive to every word, and every sentence,” Saar added. “I hope that within a short time we will see things happening, but it is still to be proved.”

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Guy Davies

Far-right minister says potential Gaza ceasefire deal represents ‘catastrophe’

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he will not support the potential Gaza ceasefire deal currently being negotiated in Qatar, describing it as “a catastrophe for the national security of Israel.”

“We will not be part of a surrender deal that would include releasing arch terrorists, stopping the war and destroying its achievements that were bought with much blood and abandoning many hostages,” Smotrich wrote in a post to X on Monday.

“Now is the time to continue with all our might, to occupy and cleanse the entire strip, to finally take control of humanitarian aid from Hamas and to open the gates of hell on Gaza until Hamas surrenders completely and all the hostages are returned.”

-ABC News’ Dana Savir

Netanyahu spoke with Biden on ceasefire and hostage deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he spoke with President Joe Biden on Sunday about progress in negotiating a ceasefire and hostage deal.

A senior White House administration official confirmed the call to ABC News.

“The Prime Minister discussed with the US President the progress in negotiations for the release of our hostages, and updated him on the mandate he gave to the negotiating delegation to Doha, in order to promote the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu’s office wrote in a release about the call.

According to the White House, Biden and Netanyahu “discussed the fundamentally changed regional circumstances following the ceasefire deal in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iran’s power in the region.”

The call comes as Brett McGurk, the White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, is in the Middle East for negotiations. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that McGurk is there to hammer out the “final details” of an agreement.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Michelle Stoddart

100 days of Israel’s north Gaza assault

Sunday marked 100 days since the Israel Defense Forces launched its military operation in northern Gaza, with the toll of dead and missing Palestinians now at 5,000 people, according to a report published by the Gaza media office in the Hamas-run territory.

Some 9,500 more people have been injured and 2,600 have been detained including women and children, the report said.

Israel continues striking targets across the strip. Over the last 24 hours, IDF attacks killed 24 Palestinians, according to data published by the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The report added that 46,565 Palestinians have been killed by Israel throughout Gaza since the war began in October 2023, with another 109,660 people injured.

Israeli attacks in the north of Gaza have targeted civilian infrastructures and hospitals, which combined with a siege of the area have worsened a humanitarian crisis there.

Calling for an end to the war, the Gaza media office report urged the international community — including the UN — to take immediate action to stop the assault and address the humanitarian crisis in the strip.

Israeli strikes on Gaza continued as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatched senior negotiators to Qatar for ceasefire, prisoner and hostage release talks attended by President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Middle East adviser, Steven Witkoff, and President Joe Biden’s outgoing adviser, Brett McGurk.

-ABC News’ Samy Zyara and Jordana Miller

High-level delegations gather in Doha for Gaza talks

For the first time in months, Israeli sources are expressing cautious optimism that a Gaza ceasefire may be within reach before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Officials close to the matter told ABC News on Sunday that a high-level Israeli delegation led by the head of the Mossad — David Barnea — arrived in Doha, Qatar, for a critical round of talks.

Others participating are Egyptian and U.S. officials including President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Middle East adviser, Steven Witkoff, and President Joe Biden’s outgoing adviser, Brett McGurk.

Witkoff made a surprise visit to Israel Saturday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, progress on some issues has been made — including the ratio of Palestinian prisoners to be released and the details of the Israel Defense Forces’ redeployment.

But some outstanding issues remain, including whether Hamas can provide Israel with a list of hostages who are alive. A Hamas official told Saudi media on Saturday that the group is ready to show flexibility.

The first phase of the deal is expected to last six to eight weeks, as the report suggests. A leaked hostage list by Hamas shows the names of two Americans to be released in the first phase. Seven Americans are among the 94 hostages, three of whom are presumed to still be alive.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Somayeh Malekian

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(LONDON) — At least five people are now known to have been killed in the vehicle-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday, the Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt Reiner Haseloff told journalists on Saturday.

Haseloff said that at least 200 more people were injured when a car plowed into festive market-goers in the eastern German city, around 75 miles west of the capital Berlin.

A young child and an adult were among those killed in the attack, according to Haseloff. At least 15 of those injured were seriously hurt, according to a local official.

A suspect — a doctor from Saudi Arabia aged around 50 — was arrested, Haselhoff said. The man has lived in Germany since 2006. A rental car was used in the attack, the minister said.

The motive is unknown at this time, U.S. sources said. But U.S. law enforcement sources told ABC News that German authorities are treating the attack as a terrorist incident.

“We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured and to all those affected by this terrible incident,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Germany in grieving the loss of life. The United States is ready to provide assistance as recovery efforts continue and authorities investigate this horrible incident,” Miller’s statement continued.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered his condolences to those affected. “My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” Scholz said in a statement. “We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours.”

Friday’s ramming incident came almost exactly eight years after a similar terror attack at a Christmas market in the German capital. On Dec. 19, 2016, a man drove a truck into a crowd at a market in Berlin, killing 13 and injuring dozens.

U.S. law enforcement officials have warned of similar vehicle-ramming attacks on American soil, particularly over the festive season.

A joint threat assessment about New Year’s Eve in New York City’s Times Square, for example, noted the use of vehicle-ramming alone or in conjunction with other tactics “has become a recurring tactic employed by threat actors in the West.”

The NYPD, out of an abundance of caution, will surge resources to similar areas around the city, including Christmas markets, according to NYPD deputy commissioner for counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner.

“We know this is a very festive time, it is a busy time in the city, and we are going to make sure that all of our holiday markets, all of our holiday activities are protected by our counter weapons teams, by officers on patrol, all our counter-terrorism officers, our critical response command,” Weiner told ABC New York station WABC.

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