Overview

• Qatar said Israel should already have halted operations if it backs the U.S. plan and expects results from the Sharm el-Sheikh talks in the coming days, though no agreement has emerged after two days.
• Hamas outlined demands for a full cease-fire, complete Israeli pullout, unrestricted aid, return of displaced residents, large prisoner exchanges and reconstruction run by Palestinian technocrats, while avoiding a commitment to disarm.
• Israel has signaled conditional support for the U.S. proposal but seeks changes to key points, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to return all hostages, remove Hamas from power and neutralize threats from Gaza.
• Negotiators are prioritizing an exchange built around 48 remaining hostages — with Israel estimating 20 are alive — in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, with the U.S., Egypt and Qatar facilitating.
• In Brazil, a Senate memorial for the Oct. 7 victims featured sharp criticism of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s stance on Gaza, survivor testimony, and calls from multiple senators for the annihilation of Hamas.