Middle East

Hamas reports no progress in talks with Israel on ceasefire’s second phase

Phase two should begin Sunday, but no progress has been made in ceasefire negotiations, the group says

US plans emergency Israel arms deals worth nearly $3 billion

The process sidesteps a long-standing practice of giving the chairs and ranking members of the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations committees the opportunity to review the sale

Talks resume in Cairo on second phase of Gaza ceasefire

First phase of the agreement is set to expire on Saturday

Ocalan’s peace call sparks debate in Kurdistan

Kurdish political parties welcome Ocalan’s call for peace but challenges remain

Iran’s uranium enrichment nears weapons-grade levels 

Possible Kurdish-Turkish peace could be bad news for Islamic State

US officials hope Kurdistan Workers' Party leader's call to end armed struggle against Ankara will allow for renewed focus on battling IS

Turkey’s Kurds react to PKK leader’s call to disarm group

Israel's army admits failures in staving off Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack

Many Israelis believe the failures of Oct. 7 extend beyond the military and blame Netanyahu for a failed policy of deterrence and containment in the years leading up to the attack

Imprisoned Kurdish leader urges PKK to disarm and disband as part of peace effort with Turkey

In a message from his prison on an island off Istanbul, Abdullah Ocalan says Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, should hold congress and decide to disband

Kurdish peshmerga commander warns of security gaps in former ISIS areas 

The officer points out that the two forces do not have the ability to control these areas together

Israelis mourn as they bury woman and her toddlers killed in Hamas' captivity

Israelis mourn as they bury a mother and her sons killed in Hamas' captivity. The funerals come as the first stage of a ceasefire between Israel and the US-designated terror group is ending with no plan for proceeding to the next stage. Linda Gradstein reports from Tel Aviv. Camera: Ricki Rosen.