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Netanyahu to attend Gaza war summit in Egypt

(Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will attend Monday's summit on ending the Gaza war in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, an Egyptian presidential spokesperson said.

"Both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will take part in the peace summit to solidify the agreement to end the war in Gaza and reaffirm their commitment to it," the spokesperson said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walks after a press conference, in Jerusalem, May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool

Russia's Lavrov says Trump's plan is too vague on Palestinian statehood

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict only dealt with Gaza and was not specific enough on Palestinian statehood.

"We have noted that Donald Trump's peace plan only addresses the Gaza Strip. It mentions statehood, but in rather general terms," Lavrov told reporters from Arab countries.

"It's imperative to flesh out these approaches, including defining what will happen in the West Bank."

FILE PHOTO: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a press conference after addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 27, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

Trump suggests Hamas has approval for internal security operations in Gaza

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Hamas had been given a greenlight for internal security operations it is conducting in the Gaza Strip, saying the group wants "to stop the problems" and "we gave them approval for a period of time".

The Palestinian militant group, which must disarm and end its rule of Gaza under Trump's proposal for ending the war, has deployed internal security forces in parts of the Gaza Strip since a ceasefire came into effect on Friday, saying it aims to stop lawlessness and looting and prevent a security vacuum.

Palestinian women walk near rubble after a ceasefire, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 9. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Pakistani troops on high alert on Afghan border after fighting, trade halts

PESHAWAR, Pakistan/KABUL (Reuters) -Pakistani troops were on high alert on the country's border with Afghanistan on Monday after fierce weekend fighting between the two sides left dozens dead and drew the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he could help end the conflict.

Border trade between the neighbours came to a halt as Pakistan closed crossings along the 2,600-km (1,600-mile) frontier, stranding scores of loaded goods vehicles on either side, a Pakistani industry representative said.

People walk past parked vehicles with belongings of Afghan citizens, as they head back to their country, after Pakistan closed border crossings with Afghanistan, following exchanges of fire between the forces of the two countries in Chaman, the Border Crossing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border in Balochistan Province, in Chaman, Pakistan October 12, 2025. REUTERS/Saeed Ali Achakzai

Syrian Kurdish leader says reached first deal on merging forces with regular army

Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi has announced to AFP that he had reached a "preliminary agreement" with Damascus on the integration of his troops into Syria's military and security forces.

Abdi, who heads the powerful Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), had met Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus last week, along with US envoy Tom Barrack and US commander Brad Cooper.

Mazloum Abdi's SDF played a vital role in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria

France's Macron says he will continue to serve, ignores calls for resignation

PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he would continue to serve to ensure stability in the country, ignoring repeated calls by the opposition for him to resign amid France's worst political crisis in decades.

"Never forget that the mandate given by the French people is to serve, to serve and serve, and to provide answers to the questions of everyday French people, and to do everything possible for the independence of France," Macron told reporters in Egypt, just days after re-appointing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu as head of his government.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the members of the media, after arriving by plane to attend the Gaza Peace Summit, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, October 13, 2025. Yoan Valat/Pool via REUTERS

Hamas deploys fighters as hostages released, in show of strength

CAIRO (Reuters) -Hamas deployed fighters in Gaza on Monday as a release of hostages seized in the October 7 attacks was under way, Reuters footage showed, in an apparent show of strength by the militant group which President Donald Trump says must disarm.

Reuters footage showed dozens of Hamas fighters lined up at a hospital in southern Gaza, and an armed man wearing the insignia of the Hamas armed wing, the Qassam Brigades. His shoulder patch identified him as a member of the elite "Shadow Unit", which Hamas sources say is tasked with guarding hostages.

Hamas militants keep guard as Red Cross vehicles transport hostages, held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, following their handover as part of a ceasefire and hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

China tells the Philippines to stop 'provocations' after South China Sea vessel clash

BEIJING (Reuters) -China on Monday urged the Philippines to not challenge its efforts to "safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests" after vessels from the two countries clashed near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

China urges the Philippines to immediately stop "violations and provocations", Lin Jian, a spokesperson of the foreign ministry, told a regular press briefing.

China and the Philippines traded accusations on Sunday over a maritime confrontation near Sandy Cay, a coral reef within the Spratly Islands.

FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of a China Coast Guard ship navigating near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea, August 13, 2025. REUTERS/Adrian Portugal/File Photo

Freed Israeli hostages hug loved ones in tears of joy

Freed Israeli hostages and their family and friends bounded into one another’s arms Monday, beaming and crying with joy at the end of the captives’ two-year ordeal in Gaza.

Wrapped in blue and white Israeli flags, those returning waved and smiled as military helicopters landed them back in Israel, AFP reporters saw, after militants freed the remaining 20 living hostages from the Palestinian territory under a US-backed ceasefire deal.

Bar Kuperstein was among the released Israeli hostages

Hamas publishes names of 20 Israeli hostages to be released

DUBAI (Reuters) -Palestinian group Hamas published on Monday the names of the 20 Israeli hostages to be released under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The names included Bar Abraham Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Angrest, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Eitan Abraham Mor, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio and David Cunio.

(Reporting by Jana Choukeir; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christian Schmollinger)

People hold placards with pictures of hostages who were kidnapped in the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect, at "Hostages square" in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 11, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun