Israel's foreign minister said Thursday that he was severing all contact with the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas over reported remarks in which she allegedly compared Israel to the apartheid regime that once ruled South Africa.

"Recently, it was published that during her visit to Mexico, she compared Israel to the racist apartheid regime that existed in South Africa," Gideon Saar wrote on X.

The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed Thursday that "initial negotiations" on implementing a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding on ending the Middle East war were planned to take place in Switzerland on Friday.

"Currently, the plan remains for the United States and Iran, along with the mediators Pakistan and Qatar and other involved countries, to meet tomorrow at the Burgenstock for initial negotiations on the implementation of the agreement," the ministry said, lifting a degree of uncertainty that had hung over the meeting at the luxury mountainside resort near Lucerne.

Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip have killed 1,005 Palestinians since a ceasefire was reached between Israel and the militant group Hamas last October, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday.

The enclave has seen near-daily strikes, as well as shelling and gunfire along the boundary that divides Gaza into Israeli and Palestinian-controlled zones. The most recent deaths were recorded after a series of Israeli drone strikes in the past few days on towns and refugee camps in central Gaza and Gaza City.

JD Vance was supposed to be spending the week promoting his new book, the kind of event a potential presidential candidate like the vice president typically uses to speak to a wide audience about his life and values ahead of a campaign.

Instead, the rollout of Vance's second book, "Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith," has been largely crowded out by something else he's put his name on: the tentative deal to end the Iran war.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said Washington "did send a copy" of its accord with Iran to end the Middle East war, following reports of tensions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Insisting he maintains a good relationship with Netanyahu, Trump reaffirmed his criticism at the G7 summit of Israel's campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying "they (Israel) could do a much better job".

An Iranian official on Wednesday said the funeral procession for late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by U.S.-Israeli strikes in February, will pass through Iraq before his burial in Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he expected the accord with Iran ending the Middle East war to be signed "shortly" but cast uncertainty over the exact date.

Tehran's foreign ministry on Wednesday said it was considering a plan for the presidents of the U.S. and Iran to sign the deal ending the Middle East war, ahead of the expected ceremony in Switzerland.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran he was ready to resume military action if Tehran did not abide by its obligations, two days ahead of the signing of an accord to end the war between the foes.

"If they (the Iranian side) don't behave, we'll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head," Trump said at the G7 summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Moscow supports a deal between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his Iranian counterpart during a phone call on Wednesday, insisting that Israel must also comply.

"The Russian minister expressed support for the understandings reached through effective mediation by Pakistan and Qatar to de-escalate tensions in the region. The importance of compliance by all parties involved in the armed conflict, including Israel, was emphasized," the Russian foreign ministry said in a read-out of the call.