Thieves made off with several ancient gold ingots from Syria's national museum in Damascus, a security source and another close to the institution's management said Tuesday.

The museum was spared during Syria's destructive civil war that ran from 2011 to late last year, and houses priceless artefacts dating back to antiquity.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Israeli parliament has advanced a bill that would mandate the death penalty for Palestinian militants convicted of killing Israeli citizens, with some lawmakers believing it would prevent future prisoner-release deals.

In a vote held late on Monday - the first of four needed for the measure to become law - the bill passed with 39 in favour and 16 against, out of 120 lawmakers.

ANKARA (Reuters) -The foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt will discuss the Gaza ceasefire and international efforts to rebuild the enclave once the war is over during talks in Ankara on Wednesday, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Tuesday.

NATO member Turkey has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel's two-year assault on Gaza, calling it a genocide, which Israel denies. Along with Egypt and Qatar, it has helped mediate the fragile ceasefire, emerging as a crucial player and vowing to monitor the strict implementation of the accord.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -At least 12 people were killed in a suicide bombing outside a local court in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Tuesday, the country's interior minister said.

(Reporting by Asif Shahzad, writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by YP Rajesh)

Hundreds of Israelis bid farewell to army officer Hadar Goldin, who was laid to rest Tuesday in the central town of Kfar Saba after Hamas returned his remains more than a decade after his death in Gaza.

Crowds packed the military cemetery, with some climbing onto rooftops to glimpse the funeral, while others filled the streets and watched on a large outdoor screen.

Blue-and-white Israeli flags fluttered in the wind, as mourners held the young lieutenant's portrait alongside a homemade banner reading: "We will remember forever."

By Alexander Cornwell

MANAMA (Reuters) -A de facto partition of Gaza between an area controlled by Israel and another ruled by Hamas is increasingly likely, multiple sources said, with efforts to advance U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war beyond a ceasefire faltering.

Six European officials with direct knowledge of the efforts to implement the next phase of the plan told Reuters it was effectively stalled and that reconstruction now appeared likely to be limited to the Israel- controlled area.

That could lead to years of separation, they warned.

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister said on Tuesday the U.S. was sending Tehran contradictory messages about nuclear talks through third countries.

Iran wants to reach "a peaceful nuclear agreement" but will not compromise on national security, Saeed Khatibzadeh told the 12th Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate. He reiterated Tehran's position that it does not seek nuclear bombs.

(Reporting by Samia Nakhool and Parisa Hafezi, writing by Elwely Elwelly; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Paris on Tuesday to discuss the "full implementation" of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the Elysee said.

The meeting comes a month into a fragile truce between Hamas and Israel, following two years of war triggered by the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack against Israel.

Abbas, 89, is the longtime head of the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited control over parts of the West Bank and is being considered to assume governance in Gaza under the deal.

Iraqis head to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new parliament for a four-year term in a vote that will be closely watched in Washington and Tehran.

Here is a look at what could come next and what the regional impact could be.

- What happens after the vote? -

Iraq's Supreme Court must first ratify the election results.

Two weeks later, the newly elected members of parliament should convene for a swearing-in ceremony and to choose their speaker, who by convention should be a member from the Sunni community.

Iraqis voted for a new parliament Tuesday, with an unexpectedly high turnout of more than 55 percent, at a pivotal time for the country and the wider region.

Iraq, which has long been vulnerable to proxy wars and is closely watched by Iran and the United States, has recently regained a sense of stability.

But, even as it tries to move past two decades of war since a US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, the country of 46 million suffers from poor infrastructure and public services, mismanagement and corruption.