News & Events

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has backed a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognising it as qualified to join and recommending the UN Security Council “reconsider the matter favourably”.

After months of stalemate, the search for peace in Gaza has reached a critical stage. UN chief Antonio Guterres says it is a “decisive moment for the Palestinian and Israeli people and for the fate of the entire region”.

Hamas says it has approved a proposal for a ceasefire in the seven-month Gaza war put forward by mediators Qatar and Egypt although Israel says the proposal falls short of its demands.

Western leaders expressed dismay that Israel might press ahead with an invasion of the tiny area despite a last-ditch bid by Hamas to secure a temporary ceasefire.

Al Jazeera obtained a copy of the Gaza ceasefire proposal that Hamas accepted on Monday. The deal, which was put forward by Egypt and Qatar, would come in three stages that would see an initial halt in the fighting, leading to lasting calm and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territory.

In their second day of talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, Hamas negotiators maintained their stance that any truce agreement must end the war, Palestinian officials said.

The Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on the Gaza Strip issued the Riyadh Statement, expressing efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire, release of prisoners/hostages, and an end to war on Gaza and all unlawful and unilateral measures in Palestinian Territories.

The US secretary of state hopes Hamas will accept what he has called Israel’s “extraordinarily generous” offer for a Gaza truce and hostage release deal.