After nearly two years of deadly conflict, Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas have started indirect negotiations in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza. The discussions, beginning at 6:30 p.m. local time, involve delegations from both sides, with Egypt and Qatar acting as mediators. Officials from the mediating countries are holding separate meetings with each party to facilitate dialogue. The talks focus on progressing the first phase of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which seeks conditions for the release of a set number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for all Israeli captives. While Hamas has agreed to some elements of the proposal, key issues, especially concerning demilitarization, remain unresolved. Diplomats in the Middle East view the Sharm El-Sheikh talks as a critical step toward resolving the Gaza crisis.

Palestinian resistance group Hamas has strongly denied media reports claiming it agreed to surrender its weapons under international supervision as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. According to a report by Anadolu Agency on October 5, Hamas described the claims as “fabricated” and aimed at distorting its stance on the ongoing ceasefire discussions. Senior Hamas member Mahmoud Mardawi stated that the group categorically rejects the false allegations circulated by several media outlets, which, he said, are designed to mislead public opinion. He urged journalists to verify facts before publishing any information. The denial comes after recent reports suggested Hamas had agreed to hand over its weapons to a joint Palestinian-Egyptian authority. While Hamas has reportedly accepted most elements of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace proposal, including prisoner exchanges and reconstruction, the organization remains firm on refusing disarmament.

A Ukrainian drone attack has caused widespread electricity disruption in Russia’s western Belgorod region, leaving nearly 40,000 residents without power as of Sunday evening, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Hospitals are relying on generators to maintain essential services. The attack also injured at least three people, including a 10-year-old child. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported power disruptions in Lviv near the Polish border due to Russian strikes, claiming four civilians were killed. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that their operations target weapons factories and fuel infrastructure, asserting civilians are not their objective. Since autumn 2022, Russia has regularly attacked Ukraine’s energy facilities, with President Vladimir Putin previously declaring Ukraine’s energy infrastructure a strategic target following the Crimea Bridge bombing.

In a newly released Gaza Government Media Office report marking two years since Israel began its military campaign on 7 October 2023, it is alleged that more than 200,000 tons of bombs and explosives were dropped on the densely populated enclave. Over 76,000 Palestinians are reported killed or missing, including more than 20,000 children and 12,500 women. Over 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure—homes, hospitals, schools, mosques—has been damaged or destroyed; 38 hospitals and 96 clinics are non-functional. More than 2 million people have been forcibly displaced, with many forced to move repeatedly under siege and aerial assault. The report accuses Israel of pursuing policies amounting to starvation, ethnic cleansing, and continuing genocide, citing repeated bombings even of “safe zones” like al-Mawasi. International agencies warn the enclave faces a collapse of basic services, famine, and mass suffering unless urgent action is taken.

A Gaza-bound aid vessel named Consonance, carrying renowned Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam along with journalists, doctors, and human rights activists, was reportedly overflown by a military aircraft on Sunday afternoon while sailing through the Mediterranean Sea. During a Facebook Live broadcast from the ship, activist William Alexander described the plane as a “large military aircraft” that circled several times before flying directly overhead. Though not confirmed, passengers believe it was an Israeli jet attempting to intimidate the mission. Despite the tense moment, crew members urged calm, emphasizing the ship’s peaceful mission to deliver medical supplies to Gaza. Captain Madelaine Habib expressed hope of reaching Gaza safely and called for a permanent maritime corridor for Palestinians. Filmmaker Tom Hayes urged global unity for Palestinian freedom. The voyage is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the Thousand Madelines to Gaza initiative, aiming to break Israel’s blockade.

Four French lawmakers detained in Israel after participating in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla have begun a hunger strike in solidarity with Palestinians, according to their party, France Unbowed. The group’s leader, Manon Aubry, told French radio that the detainees — François Piquemal, Marie Mesmayer, Rima Hassan, and Emma Fourreau — are being held in harsh conditions, with over ten people in a single cell and limited access to water. Aubry said communication has been minimal, only through lawyers and the French consul. France Unbowed urged the French government to secure the lawmakers’ release. The four were among 30 French nationals arrested when Israel intercepted the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” a convoy of 45 ships attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza in defiance of the blockade. The hunger strike highlights growing international concern over Israel’s treatment of pro-Palestinian activists and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Israel has agreed to an initial phase of troop withdrawal from Gaza. He emphasized that a ceasefire would come into effect immediately once Hamas confirms it. Hamas has also accepted parts of Trump’s 20-point proposal, signaling progress toward halting the Israeli offensive. The White House had earlier released a map indicating the boundaries for the initial withdrawal, which would still leave Israel controlling approximately 55 percent of Gaza according to BBC Verify. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope that hostages held in Gaza could be released soon and stressed that Hamas has no choice but to accept the U.S. proposal under combined diplomatic and military pressure. Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s commitment to ending Hamas’s control over Gaza and disarming the militant group, marking a potential turning point in the conflict.

Greta Thunberg, leading the Global Sumud Flotilla on a humanitarian mission to Gaza, was allegedly subjected to abuse by Israeli forces, according to fellow international volunteers. Reports indicate Thunberg was reportedly dragged on the ground and forced to kiss an Israeli flag, while other participants experienced similar mistreatment. Activists from Malaysia, the U.S., Turkey, and Italy described being paraded, denied water and medicine, and treated “like dogs” over several days. Italian journalist Lorenzo Agostino called Thunberg “a brave 22-year-old woman” who was humiliated publicly. Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was also accused of shoving Thunberg into a room. Israel detained over 450 activists from 40 vessels attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, prompting global criticism. Turkish officials confirmed 137 detainees were sent to Turkey, including 36 Turkish citizens. Israel announced the remaining activists would be returned to Europe soon.

Israel has carried out fresh airstrikes across Gaza, killing 46 Palestinians, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s directive to halt bombings following Hamas’s agreement to a ceasefire. The latest attacks, which continued from early Saturday to evening, included a deadly strike on a home in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood that killed 17 people from one family, among them women and children—the youngest just eight months old. Al Jazeera reports that three of the dead were waiting for aid. Gaza’s Health Ministry says the death toll since the war began on October 7, 2023, has now reached 67,074. The enclave faces severe famine, with two more people dying from hunger in the past 24 hours, raising starvation-related deaths to 459, including 154 children. The Israeli military has not commented on the recent operations.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, the largest sea-based humanitarian mission to Gaza, united doctors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and activists from around the world to defy Israel’s blockade and deliver aid to Palestinians. Behind this daring voyage stood ten key figures—the “Steering Committee”—whose leadership transformed vision into action. They include Greek historian Cleoniki Alexopoulou, Turkish-German activist Yasemin Akar, Brazilian environmentalist Thiago Ávila, Italian physicist Maria Elena Delia, Palestinian organizer Saif Abu Keshek, Malaysian humanitarian Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri, Algerian leader Marouane Ben Guettaya, Tunisian activists Wael Nawar and Haifa Mansouri, and rural women’s rights advocate Torkia Chaibi. Their collective courage symbolizes global solidarity with Gaza, connecting movements from Latin America to North Africa. Each brought unique expertise—from academia to grassroots organizing—demonstrating that compassion and resistance can sail together against oppression. The flotilla remains a beacon of international moral defiance and human unity.

A Russian drone strike on a passenger train station in Shostka, Sumy region, has left at least one dead and over thirty injured. The attack occurred on Saturday morning, sparking a fire that engulfed a passenger train. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the assault as “barbaric,” while prosecutors confirmed the recovery of a 71-year-old man’s body. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Russia used a “double-tap” tactic, targeting rescuers during the second strike. Power outages followed in Shostka and surrounding areas. Ukrainian officials reported that Russia has been attacking railway and energy infrastructure almost daily for two months, cutting off over 50,000 households in the latest strikes. Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed to have hit Russia’s Kirishi oil refinery near St. Petersburg with a drone attack, and French photojournalist Antoine Lallican was killed in another Russian strike in eastern Ukraine, becoming the 14th journalist to die since the 2022 invasion.

Hamas has responded cautiously to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed plan for Gaza, highlighting disagreements over the territory’s administrative structure and the group’s future role. Trump’s plan calls for Gaza to be managed by an internationally supervised technocratic committee, including global figures such as Tony Blair, and envisages gradual demilitarization. Hamas insists that Gaza should be run by an independent Palestinian technocratic committee formed on national consensus, with Arab and Islamic support. While the group expressed agreement on key aspects such as a ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli troops, exchange of prisoners, and humanitarian aid, it did not accept proposals involving international oversight or its own removal from governance. Hamas emphasized that Gaza’s administration must follow national consensus and international law. The group also refrained from commenting on international peacekeepers or the safe exit of its members, signaling ongoing friction despite partial alignment on humanitarian issues.

Israel has deported 137 detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla to Turkey, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Earlier, Israeli forces intercepted the humanitarian flotilla in international waters, detaining 443 people from 46 countries, including rights activists, lawyers, doctors, journalists, and European Parliament members. Among them was Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The flotilla, comprising over 40 civilian ships, was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in defiance of Israel’s blockade. Many nations condemned Israel’s actions, labeling them as acts of aggression and a violation of international law. The first group of vessels departed from Barcelona on August 31, later joined by ships from Tunisia, Italy, and Greece. The detained individuals included citizens of the U.S., U.K., Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, Malaysia, Bahrain, Morocco, Switzerland, Tunisia, and Turkey. The deportation marks escalating tensions surrounding humanitarian efforts to reach Gaza amid ongoing conflict and global outcry.

Israel has launched a series of new airstrikes on Gaza, killing at least 20 people, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s direct order to cease attacks following Hamas’s partial acceptance of a U.S.-brokered peace proposal. According to Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, last night was marked by intense bombings across Gaza City and other regions. Around 20 houses were destroyed in the strikes. The attacks came just as civilians had begun returning home after Trump’s call for restraint and Hamas’s conditional approval of the ceasefire plan. The Israeli military, however, claimed that ongoing operations in Gaza City made the area unsafe and urged residents to stay away. The renewed assault has raised fears among Gazans that hopes for peace and an end to the 30-month-long conflict may once again fade, undermining recent diplomatic efforts led by Washington.

Photographer-director Shahidul Alam posted on Facebook that all vessels of the Freedom Flotilla are now sailing together toward Gaza after the ship Conshans made contact with eight earlier boats. Alam said Conshans, the largest vessel in the convoy which departed Italy on September 30, had been moving faster than the other ships and briefly touched those ahead; its speed was reduced and the fleet is now proceeding as a single formation. Conshans belongs to international initiatives including the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madelins to Gaza, aiming to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade and highlight the humanitarian crisis. Alam emphasized the flotilla carries no food aid, described the Thousand Madelins idea as symbolic yet unprecedented, and argued global leaders’ inaction has compelled civil society to act. He affirmed the crew’s determination to break the siege, warned that if any vessels are stopped others will press on, and expressed confidence that repression cannot withstand popular resolve; Palestine will ultimately be freed soon.