Middle East Conflict: Hamas Reportedly Proposes 135-Day Ceasefire Deal To End War

France pays tribute to French victims of Oct. 7 massacre

French President Emmanuel Macron led a national ceremony Wednesday to remember the French victims of Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

A total of 42 French citizens were killed during Hamas' shock raid in Israel. Three French hostages are believed to still be held in Gaza by Hamas and other militant groups in the Strip.

Israeli officials signal willingness to negotiate over Hamas' counterproposal: Local broadcaster

Israel has signaled willingness to proceed with negotiations over a counterproposal that Hamas forwarded via ceasefire mediators, Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported Wednesday, citing senior Israeli officials.

"Hamas submitted an initial list of demands, some of which are acceptable to us and some of which are non-negotiable. We treat Hamas' answer as a starting point for negotiations, which will be conducted intensively in the coming period," the report quoted the officials as saying.

Netanyahu hails Milei's support for Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday personally thanked Argentine President Javier Milei for his support for Israel during their meeting in Jerusalem, as per Netanyahu's office.

"You're a great friend of the Jewish state. We are delighted with your decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital – to move your diplomatic post," Netanyahu told an apparently pleased Milei.

The Israeli leader further revealed that the two discussed "free markets" during their meeting, something that "we both champion." He went on to thank Milei for his "stalwart support for Israel."

Qatar offered Hamas incentive package to recant truce demand of IDF's withdrawal: Arab media

Qatari mediators have offered Hamas with an "incentive package" in exchange for the terror group's retraction of its demand that Israeli troops fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, Sky News Arabia reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

Hamas has repeatedly said it will not accept a ceasefire deal that does not include the exit of Israeli troops from the war-torn enclave.

No details of Hamas counterproposal can be 'compromised': Senior Hamas official

The timelines and details on Hamas' counterproposal for a ceasefire plan in Gaza were "specified" by the Palestinian terror group itself, Muhammad Nazzal, a senior member of Hamas' political bureau, told Al Jazeera Wednesday.

"Among these details, none can be compromised," he noted, adding that the group's "response is realistic and our demands are reasonable." He also said Hamas is expecting for negotiations to begin and "any obstacles" can be resolved along the way.

Nazzal's comments come as the loved ones of remaining hostages in Gaza had just received news that 31 hostages in Hamas captivity are dead, and there is unconfirmed intelligence that at least 20 other abductees may also be dead.

UN Iraq envoy calls for restraint amid 'critical juncture' in Middle East

The UN's Special Representative to Iraq, Jeanin Hennis-Plasschaert, called for restraint in the Middle East amid rising tensions in the region. "With the conflict raging in Gaza, as well as armed action elsewhere, the Middle East is at a critical juncture, and the same is true for Iraq," she said during a speech before the UN Security Council Tuesday.

She said that from Iraq, restraint is necessary, but it is "just as crucial" for the country's neighbors to also do so. She further argued that "messaging by strikes only serves to recklessly heighten tensions, to kill or injure people and to destroy property."

Israeli strikes in central Syrian city resulted in civilian deaths: State media

"At approximately 00:30 at dawn on Wednesday, the Israeli enemy launched an aerial attack with missiles from a direction northern of Tripoli, targeting a number of points in the city of Homs and its countryside," state-run SANA reported Wednesday.

The Syrian news agency added that some of the missiles were intercepted, but a source said there were deaths and injuries among civilians, adding that there was "some material losses to public and private property."

Israeli airstrikes after midnight targeting the central city of Homs killed and wounded some civilians, the Associated Press also reported Wednesday, citing the Syrian military.

The exact number of casualties is unclear, and Israel did not provide an immediate comment, as per the report.

Houthi leader threatens 'more and more' Red Sea attacks

The rebel militia's leader on Tuesday said a statement that as long as Israel keeps up its military campaign in the Gaza Strip, "we will seek to escalate more and more."

His warning comes amid increasing concerns about the impact of Houthi attacks on global shipping operations. The Iran-backed terror group attacked two merchant vessels earlier Tuesday, claiming it was part of its show of solidarity for Palestinians.

Efforts underway to reach a 'climbdown' for Yemeni Houthis: US envoy

Diplomatic efforts are underway to reach a possible "climbdown" for Houthis, U.S. Special Envoy Tim Lenderking said in a video recording published Tuesday. He said the efforts to get the Yemeni rebel militia to scale back its attacks in the Red Sea were in hopes of easing the crisis in the area.

He warned that as Houthi attacks persist, there are higher chances of renewed fighting in Yemen and critical aid shipments for the country and the Gaza Strip will be disrupted.

IDF 'thwarts' armed terror cell in Khan Yunis

Israeli soldiers with the Paratroopers Brigade encountered and "thwarted" an "armed terrorist cell" in Khan Yunis, the IDF said Wednesday.

The troops also located "large quantities" of weapons in Gaza's second-largest city, including AK-47 rifles and other explosives.

Hamas proposed 3-phase ceasefire plan

Hamas, in its response to a proposal sent last week by mediators, has proposed a three-stage truce plan that would lead to the end of the war in Gaza, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing a draft document it viewed.

Each phase will last for 45 days, with the entirety of the plan being implemented over a span of 135 days.

In the first 45 days, all Israeli female captives, male hostages under 19 years of age, and the elderly and sick will be freed in exchange for Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons.

The second stage of the plan will see the release of male hostages, while the third phase will see the release of the bodies of deceased hostages – Hamas has also noted that it wishes for the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners. The terror group expects that the warring sides will have come to an agreement to end the war during the last stage of the ceasefire plan.

Aside from hostage releases, the proposed deal also seeks the increase of humanitarian aid flow for Gaza civilians amid a shortage in basic supplies in the enclave.

Mediators working on 'final formula' for Gaza truce deal

Mediators in the much anticipated but elusive Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal are pushing for "an agreement on the final formula as soon as possible," Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt's State Information Service, said Tuesday.

Rashwan's comments came after Hamas delivered its response to mediators, saying its answer to the proposed deal was delivered "in a positive spirit." The terror group wants Israeli troops to completely withdraw from the Strip and they want a total end to the Israeli army's military offensive.

Egyptian security forces told Reuters that Hamas signaled flexibility in its response, while Qatar, which is a key mediator alongside Egypt, said Hamas' response was "positive" overall. The mediators did not provide further details.

Blinken has also raised hopes for the warring sides to reach a deal as he said it was "possible," marking the first sign of positive progress in talks for a ceasefire agreement since the seven-day truce collapsed early in December.

Israel strikes Hezbollah assets in Lebanon

Israeli fighter jets struck a Hezbollah observation post and other infrastructure belonging to the terror group in the Jabal Blat area and the southern Lebanese village of Khula, the IDF said.

The strikes were carried out in response to rocket launches toward northern Israel earlier Tuesday, the Israeli army added.

Iraq urges US to restart talks on future of Washington-led military coalition

Hussein, in a phone call with Blinken Tuesday, reiterated that the two sides should restart negotiations on the future of the U.S.-led international coalition in Iraq, Reuters reported, citing a foreign ministry statement.

"Iraq is not an arena for settling scores between rival countries," Hussein was quoted as telling the U.S. Secretary of State.

Since Islamic State was defeated, Washington deployed some 2,500 servicemen in Iraq in a bid to prevent the militant group's resurgence in the area. A coalition that includes hundreds of troops from mostly European nations was then formed.

Washington is concerned that Iran may take advantage of Iraq if the coalition leaves the country, but the Iraqi government has said the taskforce's job was over after Islamic State's defeat.

Talks about the matter kicked off last month, but negotiations stopped after three U.S. troops were killed in an attack in Jordan that Washington says was carried out by Iran-backed militant factions in Syria and Iraq.

Hezbollah claims it conducted 9 operations against Israel

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah early on Wednesday claimed that the Lebanon-based terror group "successfully carried out 9 operations" against Israel Tuesday.

The Hamas ally has been documenting its attacks toward Israel since the seven-day truce deal between Israel and Hamas collapsed early in December after the Palestinian militant group refused to free more women hostages.

The Israeli army has yet to confirm Hezbollah's claims.

Saudi reiterates no diplomatic relations with Israel without Palestinian statehood

Saudi Arabia has once again reiterated that normalizing relations with Israel won't happen anytime soon. "The Kingdom has communicated its firm position to the U.S. administration that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) early Wednesday.

The statement was released after Blinken's visit to the Kingdom Tuesday.

UNRWA expects preliminary report on Oct. 7 allegations to be ready by March

The embattled UNRWA is expecting to have a preliminary report on Israel's allegations that some of its personnel were directly involved in Hamas' Oct. 7 atrocities ready by early March.

The agency also expects donors who suspended funding to review their decisions based on the results of the investigation, Dorothee Klaus, UNRWA's Lebanon director, told reporters.

Israel accuses 12 UNRWA employees of direct participation in the atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel during the Oct. 7 raid. Following the exposé, multiple countries, including UNRWA's top sponsor, the U.S., suspended funding to the agency.

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At least 20 other hostages may also be dead: Report

The fate of several hostages is unknown as there is unconfirmed intelligence indicating that at least 20 other Hamas captives may also be dead, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing four military officials.

The number is on top of the 31 hostages the IDF confirmed to have died in Hamas captivity.

This comes as the loved ones of remaining hostages in Gaza have been stepping up pressure on the Israeli government and international community to take more action in freeing the abductees. Some protesters have gone as far as blocking humanitarian aid trucks from entering the Gaza Strip, demanding that aid for the enclave be halted until the hostages are freed.

Houthis fired 6 missiles toward Red Sea, Gulf of Aden

The Iranian-backed rebel militia on Tuesday fired six anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) toward the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, CENTCOM said Wednesday.

Three of the said missiles attempted to hit the Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged MV Star Nasia, causing minor damage to the merchant ship. Three other missiles were "likely" to have targeted British-owned, Barbados-flagged MV Morning Tide, which did not sustain any damage as the missiles hit the water near the vessel.

This comes after Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare'e said in a statement that the rebel militia attacked an American and British ship in the Red Sea.

31 hostages in Gaza dead: IDF spokesperson

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief of the IDF's Spokespersons Unit, on Tuesday announced the deaths of 31 hostages still in Hamas captivity. "We have informed 31 families that their captured loved ones are no longer among the living and that we have pronounced them dead," he said at a media briefing as per multiple outlets.

The Israeli government previously said there were still 136 hostages in Gaza. More than 100 abductees were freed during the seven-day truce deal between Israel and Hamas late in November.