Overview
- Pakistan’s government said the Istanbul round with Afghanistan ended without a “practical solution,” and its defense minister warned that even a fraction of Pakistan’s arsenal could topple the Taliban, with sources citing Kabul’s refusal to curb the Pakistani Taliban as a key rift.
- In Gaza, Israel resumed strikes after a soldier was killed and then said the lull was back in force, with Gaza civil defense and hospitals reporting more than 100 Palestinians killed as Israel signals it will answer any future breach and consolidates positions along the internal “yellow line.”
- Qatar’s prime minister called the attack on Israeli soldiers a violation of the truce by a Palestinian faction and said Doha is pressing Hamas in coordination with the United States, while Israel asserted the cease-fire continues under its right to respond to violations.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross condemned what it called an apparently staged exhumation and burial of an Israeli hostage’s remains shown in an IDF drone video, as Israel accused Hamas of deception during searches for remains and hostage families urged tougher action.
- In Sudan, the WHO cited reports of more than 460 people killed at a hospital in El Fasher and urged a cease-fire, Egypt said it is working for an urgent humanitarian pause, the RSF denied executions and welcomed Quartet-led peace efforts, and the civil coalition “Sumood” pressed both sides to adopt the Quartet plan.