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US President Donald Trump headed on a high high-stakes trip to Israel and Egypt Sunday, after saying it would be a "very special" moment for efforts to end the Gaza war.Air Force One took off from Joint Base Andrews near Washington in light rain, AFP reporters said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA chief John Ratcliffe were also on the plane, the White House said.

US President Donald Trump plans to convene world leaders for a summit on Gaza during his visit to Egypt next week, Axios reported on Friday, citing four sources with knowledge of the matter.Among those expected to participate are representatives from Qatar, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Indonesia, Axios said, citing the sources.

Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. In a post on social media platforms, Erdogan expressed his sincere gratitude to his American counterpart Donald Trump, the State of Qatar, and the Arab Republic of Egypt for demonstrating the necessary political will to encourage Israel to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza. Erdogan said that Turkiye will closely monitor strict implementation of the ceasefire deal, and continue to contribute to the process. Earlier, Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had signed the first phase of the peace plan, expressing his thanks to the mediators from the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Republic of Turkiye.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani reaffirmed Qatar's support for peace efforts, expressing His Highness's confidence in the ability of countries backing the plan of President of the friendly US of America Donald Trump, to reach a just settlement that ensures security and stability in the region and safeguards the rights of the Palestinian people.This came during a phone call His Highness the Amir received Wednesday from the US president. During the call, the two sides discussed developments regarding President Trump's plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip.They also discussed the close strategic relations between the two countries across various fields of partnership and bilateral cooperation, in addition to exchanging views on a number of other regional and international developments of mutual interest.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised his US counterpart, Donald Trump, for his efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip. "I commend US President Donald Trump's efforts and leadership aimed at halting the bloodshed in Gaza and achieving a ceasefire," Erdogan said via X platform. The Turkish president added that Turkiye would continue to support the diplomatic process, aiming to establish "a just and lasting peace acceptable to all parties."

Eight Arab and Muslim nations welcomed Trump's 'sincere efforts' to end the Gaza war in a joint statement Monday. "The foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt welcome President Trump's leadership and his sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza, and assert their confidence in his ability to find a path to peace. They emphasize the importance of the partnership with the US in securing peace in the region. Along these lines, the ministers welcome the announcement by President Trump regarding his proposal to end the war, rebuild Gaza, prevent the displacement of the Palestinian people and advance a comprehensive peace, as well as his announcement that he will not allow the annexation of the West Bank. The ministers affirm their readiness to engage positively and constructively with the US and the parties toward finalizing the agreement and ensuring its implementation, in a manner that ensures peace, security, and stability for the peoples of the region. They reaffirm their joint commitment to work with the US to end the war in Gaza through a comprehensive deal that ensures unrestricted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinians, the release of hostages, a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides, full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilds Gaza and creates a path for a just peace on the basis of the two state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in a Palestinian state in accordance with international law as key to achieving regional stability and security. "

President of the US of America Donald Trump voiced his deep appreciation for the efforts of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to achieve peace and stability in the region, describing His Highness as an amazing person who seeks peace.During a press conference held Monday, the US president stressed the importance of Qatar's pivotal and strategic role as a reliable and effective mediator in efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, emphasising the significance of its constructive contribution to achieving diplomatic solutions.He also noted the wonderful and productive phone call he had earlier Monday with HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, stressing the importance of the close partnership and ongoing coordination with Qatar in supporting peace efforts and enhancing regional stability.

After days of speculation, the White House on Monday released a 20-point plan for ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, releasing hostages held by Hamas, and outlining the Palestinian enclave's future.Speaking alongside President Donald Trump at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave cautious backing to plan.Here is the plan, as released by the White House:Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the "Board of Peace," which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump's peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

President Donald Trump unveiled a wide-ranging Gaza peace plan Monday and won backing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.The 20-point plan, which Trump has also circulated to Arab leaders, calls for a ceasefire, release of hostages by Hamas, disarmament of Hamas and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.Other key points include deployment of a "temporary international stabilisation force" and creation of a transitional authority headed by Trump himself and featuring other foreign leaders.The deal would demand resistance movement Hamas fighters fully disarm and be excluded from future roles in the government. However, those who agreed to "peaceful co-existence" would be given amnesty.Following Israeli withdrawal, the borders would be opened to aid and investment.In a crucial change from Trump's earlier apparent goals, Palestinians will not be forced to leave Gaza and instead, the document said, "we will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza."Netanyahu made clear he was in favour, saying it "achieves our war aims," while Trump said he was hopeful that Hamas would also give its backing.Approval from all sides was "beyond very close," Trump said. Proposal calls for release of hostages within 48 hours of ceasefire.However, many important details remained to be clarified.The US president had met key Arab leaders at the United Nations last week and said Sunday on social media that " all are on board for something special, first time ever".Normally a staunch ally of Netanyahu, the US president has shown increasing signs of frustration ahead of the Israeli premier's fourth White House visit since Trump's return to power.Trump was infuriated by Israel's recent strike on Hamas members in key US ally Qatar.And he warned Netanyahu last week against annexing the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as some of Netanyahu's cabinet members have urged, a move that would seriously complicate the route to Palestinian statehood.Netanyahu's coalition government is propped up by the far-right ministers who oppose a peace deal.Hamas' apparent absence from the negotiations has raised questions about the prospects for the latest initiative.Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued across the Gaza Strip, killing at least four people in Khan Younis, according to the Hamas-run territory's civil defense agency.Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza urged Trump to uphold his Gaza proposal.And in Gaza, people expressed a mix of hope, exhaustion and distrust ahead of the White House meeting.Israel's offensive has killed 66,055 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory.

Hamas has not received US President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan, the Palestinian resistance group which runs the enclave said Saturday as Israeli forces expanded their assault on Gaza City. "Hamas has not been presented with any plan," a Hamas official who asked not to be named told Reuters.In his comments to reporters on Friday in which he said "it's looking like we have a deal on Gaza", Trump offered no details of its contents and gave no timetable. Israel has not yet made any public response to Trump's comments.Trump is due on Monday to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads a hard-right governing coalition opposed to ending the Gaza war until Hamas is destroyed.Trump also said on Friday talks on Gaza with Middle Eastern nations were intense and would continue as long as required.His special envoy Steve Witkoff said the US president had presented proposals to the leaders of multiple Muslim-majority countries this week that included a 21-point Middle East peace plan.In Gaza meanwhile, the fighting continued.The Israeli military said its aircraft struck 120 targets across the strip over the past day as troops pressed deeper into Gaza City. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 74 people were killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours.In a post on social media platform X, the military's Arabic spokesman repeated calls for Gaza City residents to evacuate.

An Afghan government defence official said Sunday that a deal over Bagram air base was "not possible", after US President Donald Trump said he wanted the former US base back.Bagram, the largest air base in Afghanistan located north of the capital Kabul, was the centre of US operations in their 20 year-war against the Taliban.Trump threatened unspecified punishment against Afghanistan if it was not returned — four years after it was abandoned by US troops."If Afghanistan doesn't give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!" the 79-year-old leader wrote on his Truth Social platform.On Sunday, Fasihuddin Fitrat, chief of staff of Afghanistan's ministry of defence, said "some people" want to take back the base through a "political deal"."Recently, some people have said that they have entered negotiations with Afghanistan for taking back Bagram air base," he said in comments broadcast by local media."A deal over even an inch of Afghanistan's soil is not possible. We don't need it."Later in an official statement, the Afghan government said warned that "Afghanistan's independence and territorial integrity are of the utmost importance".Trump has repeatedly criticised the loss of the base, noting its proximity to China.But Thursday while on a state visit to Britain was the first time he publicly raised the idea of the United States retaking control of it.US and Nato troops chaotically pulled out of Bagram in July 2021, under Joe Biden's presidency but as part of a 2020 Trump-brokered deal with Taliban insurgents.The loss of crucial air power saw the Afghan military collapse just weeks later and the Taliban sweep back to power.Trump was asked by reporters at the White House if he was considering sending US troops to retake Bagram."We won't talk about that, but we're talking now to Afghanistan, and we want it back and we want it back soon, right away. And if they don't do it, you're going to find out what I'm going to do," he said.A massive, sprawling facility, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others have repeatedly raised allegations of systematic human rights abuses by US forces at Bagram, especially pertaining to detainees in Washington's murky "War on Terror".The original airfield was built with assistance from what was then the Soviet Union in the early 1950s, expanded with US help during the Cold War, and significantly developed further by Moscow during the decade-long Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.At the height of US control around 2010 it had grown to the size of a small town, with supermarkets and shops including outlets such as Dairy Queen and Burger King.It was visited by several US presidents including Barrack Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2019.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani received a call on Tuesday from President of the US of America Donald Trump. During the call, the US president expressed his solidarity with Qatar and his strong condemnation of the attack on its sovereignty, noting that diplomatic resolutions could resolve outstanding issues in the region. The US President expressed his appreciation of the tireless mediation efforts made by His Highness the Amir and the State of Qatar, highlighting their active role in establishing peace in the region. He stressed that Qatar was a trusted strategic partner, calling on His Highness the Amir to continue Qatar's mediation efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip. For his part, His Highness the Amir stressed that Qatar condemns and denounces, in the strongest terms, the reckless and criminal attack given it is a clear violation of the country's sovereignty and security, adding that it was a clear violation of international law's principles, and held the Israeli entity responsible for its repercussions, in light of the policy of aggression they adopt that threatens the region's stability and obstructs efforts to de-escalate and reach sustainable diplomatic solutions. His Highness the Amir called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities regarding these outrageous actions, and to hold those involved accountable, expressing hope that the US of America would support such a just approach. His Highness the Amir stressed in that regard that Qatar will take all the measures necessary to protect its security and sovereignty, and that it will continue its constructive approach of supporting brothers and friends, as well as just humanitarian causes to promote international peace and security.