BEIRUT, Feb 8 — Lebanon formed a new government on Saturday, following unusually direct United States (US) intervention in the process and in a step intended to bring the country closer to accessing reconstruction funds, following a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah.

GENEVA, Feb 8 — Amnesty International’s secretary-general Agnes Callamard has condemned United States (US) President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling it a "reckless action" that signals Israel is above the law and weakens universal principles of international justice.

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 — United States (US) President Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut US financial assistance to South Africa, the White House said on Friday, citing disapproval of its land policy and of its genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Washington's ally Israel.

JERUSALEM, Feb 8 — Palestinian militant group Hamas is set to hand over three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian detainees and prisoners in the latest stage of a ceasefire deal aimed at opening the way to ending the 15-month war in Gaza.

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 — US President Donald Trump yesterday authorised economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on International Criminal Court investigations of US citizens or US allies such as Israel, repeating action he took during his first term.

JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON, Feb 6 — United States President Donald Trump said today that Israel would hand over Gaza to the US after fighting is over, and the enclave’s population was already resettled elsewhere, which he said meant no US troops would be needed on the ground.

DOHA — Qatar's prime minister on Sunday called on Israel and Palestine to immediately begin negotiating phase two of the Gaza ceasefire, adding that there is no clear plan for when talks will begin.

THE HAGUE (Netherlands), Jan 31 — Nine countries, including Malaysia, will convene in The Hague to discuss their shared commitment to upholding international law, responding to threats against the International Criminal Court (ICC), and defending Palestinian rights.

CAIRO/JERUSALEM, Jan 30 — Hamas handed over three Israelis and five Thai hostages in Gaza on Thursday, but Israel delayed the expected release of Palestinian prisoners after chaotic scenes at one of the handover points, where large crowds swarmed around the captives.

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 29 — Implementation of a ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Israel — due to start tomorrow — will be disastrous, the agency chief told the UN Security Council yesterday, as the United States accused it of being “irresponsible and dangerous”.

GAZA CITY (Palestine), Jan 28 — The Palestinian group Hamas said Monday that a senior delegation led by Mohamed Darwish, the head of its Shura Council, had arrived in Egypt for an official visit to discuss the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange with Israel, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

CAIRO/JERUSALEM, Jan 27 — Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed along the main roads leading north in Gaza on Monday, jubilant to be returning home after months of living in temporary shelter but fearing what might remain of their homes amid the bombed-out ruins.

ANKARA, Jan 27 — Thousands of Palestinians began returning to the northern Gaza Strip on Monday morning as part of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group that came into effect on January 19, Anadolu Agency reported.

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM — Israeli forces killed 15 people in south Lebanon on Sunday as a deadline for their withdrawal passed and thousands of people tried to return to their homes in defiance of Israeli military orders, said the Lebanese authorities.

WASHINGTON, Jan 26 — United States (US) President Donald Trump has proposed relocating Palestinians from Gaza to neighbouring countries like Egypt and Jordan — an unusual proposal that was opposed by the former administration of Joe Biden, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

RAMALLAH, Jan 26 — The Israeli occupation authorities released the second batch of Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement with Palestinian factions in Gaza, the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported.

JERUSALEM/CAIRO/GAZA — The Palestinian militant movement Hamas handed four female Israeli soldier hostages over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza on Saturday, releasing them in return for some 200 Palestinian prisoners.

ISTANBUL, Jan 21 — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday highlighted the importance of maintaining strong ties with United States (US) President Donald Trump, following his return to the White House.

GAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM, Jan 20 — Palestine released three Israeli hostages and Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the first day of a ceasefire suspending a 15-month-old war that has devastated the Gaza Strip and inflamed the Middle East.

CAIRO/GAZA, Jan 20 — Thousands of Palestinians burst into the streets across Gaza as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on Sunday, some in celebration, others to visit the graves of relatives, while many rushed back to see what remained of their homes.