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Western allies and Arab countries gather in Paris to discuss Syria's future amid US aid freeze

Western allies and Arab countries are gathering in Paris on Thursday for an international conference on Syria to discuss the country's future after the fall of former Syrian president Bashar Assad and amid uncertainty over the United States' commitment to the region.

It's the third conference on Syria since Assad was ousted in December, and the first since President Donald Trump's administration took over in the U.S.

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Erdogan lashes out at Israel on a visit to Pakistan and laments the tragedy of Gaza

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Israel during a visit to Pakistan on Thursday, speaking up in defense of Palestinians in Gaza and condemning ideas to forcibly displace them from their land.

Speaking at a business forum, Erdogan accused Israel of failing to keep to a ceasefire agreement, warning that the region was being dragged "toward blood and tears again."

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Hamas says 3 Israeli hostages will be freed on Saturday as planned

The Palestinian militant Hamas group said Thursday it would release the next group of three Israeli hostages as planned, in a reversal of its previous statement and raising the prospect of resolving a major dispute over the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas had threatened to delay the next release of Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow in tents and shelters, among other alleged violations of the truce. Israel had threatened to renew its offensive if hostages were not freed.

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Egypt, Qatar 'overcome' Gaza truce obstacles

Egypt and Qatar have successfully "overcome obstacles" hindering the completion of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Egyptian state-aligned media reported Thursday.

Citing an official source, Extra News said that Israel and Hamas were now committed to fully implementing the deal following a round of disputes that had called it into question.

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Hamas says committed to truce as mediators push for hostage release

Hamas said Thursday it was committed to honoring a truce with Israel that is facing its worst crisis since it took effect, and added that mediators were pushing for hostages to be released this weekend as planned.

Palestinian sources reported progress in efforts to salvage the ceasefire which was plunged into uncertainty after Hamas warned it would not release hostages on Saturday, citing Israeli violations.

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Hamas says group's delegation in Cairo for talks on Gaza ceasefire

Hamas said on Wednesday a delegation headed by its chief negotiator had arrived in Cairo for Gaza truce talks, which a group official said were aimed at ending the "current crisis" in implementing the ceasefire.

"A delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya, head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, arrived in Cairo and began meetings with Egyptian officials, and followed up on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," Hamas said in a statement. An official told AFP the delegation "will discuss ways to end the current crisis and ensure the occupation's commitment to implementing the agreement".

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Libyan minister wounded in assassination attempt

Libya's minister for cabinet affairs, Adel Juma, was wounded in an attempted assassination in the capital Tripoli on Wednesday, the Government of National Unity said in a statement.

The U.N.-recognized GNU, which is based in Tripoli, condemned the attack and said Juma was "in stable condition" after "shots were fired at his car" by an unknown assailant.

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Hamas praises Jordan, Egypt for 'rejecting displacement' in Gaza

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Wednesday praised Jordan and Egypt for "rejecting displacement" plans for Gazans as proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Hamas "appreciates the positions of our brothers in Jordan and Egypt in rejecting displacement of our people and affirming that there is an Arab plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents," the Islamist group said after Jordan and Egypt, where Trump has suggested Gaza's more than two million inhabitants could be relocated, voiced opposition to his plan.

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Syria to have new government on March 1

Syria will have a new government next month, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said on Wednesday, with transitional authorities having ruled the country since the overthrown of Bashar al-Assad.

"The government that will be launched March 1 will represent the Syrian people as much as possible and take its diversity into account," Shaibani said on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in the United Arab Emirates.

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Trump insists US to own Gaza, Jordan king pushes back

U.S. President Donald Trump has doubled down on his idea of exiling Palestinians and placing a rebuilt Gaza under "U.S. authority," but faced pushback from visiting Jordanian King Abdullah II.

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