Cease-fire talks in Cairo faltered on Wednesday as negotiations between Israel and Hamas hit a roadblock, leaving families of Israeli hostages in limbo and Palestinians in Gaza without a quick resolution. Mediators struggled to bridge the remaining gaps, leading to a Hamas delegation walking out of the talks, officials reported.
The main point of contention was the duration of a cease-fire, with Hamas pushing for a permanent halt to hostilities while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu only expressed willingness for a temporary pause in fighting.
Hamas placed the blame for the lack of progress on Netanyahu, who has threatened a ground offensive in Rafah, where a large number of Palestinians are seeking shelter, with or without an agreement. Israel and the U.S. have accused Hamas of obstructing a deal, with Netanyahu warning that ending the war could allow Hamas to rebuild its military capabilities and pose a threat to communities across Israel.
In other news, Chinese leader Xi Jinping embarked on his first trip to Europe in five years, starting with a visit to France where he was welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron. Xi is also scheduled to visit Serbia and Hungary, with all three nations showing varying degrees of alignment with China’s vision for a new global order.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to struggle with identifying its deceased soldiers two years into the war, with thousands of casualties still unaccounted for. The Ukrainian military is overwhelmed with the number of casualties, and the nature of trench warfare has made it difficult to locate and identify the bodies of the fallen.
As the world grapples with these ongoing challenges, stay tuned for more updates on these and other top news stories.
