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Ahead of Trump meeting, Smotrich demands army keep 'operational freedom' in Gaza

Israel's far-right finance minister on Monday insisted the military maintain "full operational freedom" in Gaza, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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Turkey helps rescue Gaza aid activists after ship breaks down

Turkey helped evacuate activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla after one of the vessels broke down and began taking on water, organizers and Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported Monday.

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Leading Israeli settler says Netanyahu not committing to West Bank annexation

A leading Israeli settler said he failed to get assurances from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on annexation of the occupied West Bank ahead of a meeting between the premier and U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday.

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Iran hangs man it accuses of spying for Israel

Iran said Monday it hanged a man accused of spying for Israel, the latest as Tehran carries out its largest wave of executions in decades.

Iran identified the executed man as Bahman Choobiasl, whose case wasn't immediately known in Iranian media reports or to activists monitoring the death penalty in the Islamic Republic. However, the execution came after Iran vowed to confront its enemies after the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program this weekend.

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Trump to push Netanyahu on Gaza peace plan at White House

U.S. President Donald Trump will push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to an elusive Gaza peace plan on Monday in high-stakes talks at the White House.

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Israel hails sanctions as response to Iran nuclear 'violations'

Israel welcomed Sunday the reinstatement of broad U.N. sanctions against Iran, saying they were a direct response to what it called violations committed by the Islamic republic in its nuclear program.

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Trump voices major optimism over possible Gaza deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that there are “very inspired and productive discussions with the Middle Eastern Community concerning Gaza.”

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Former UK PM Blair could lead transitional authority in Gaza

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair could take a leading role in a transitional authority for Gaza under US-led peace plans, various British media reported on Friday.

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UN adds 68 firms to blacklist for alleged complicity in rights violations in West Bank

The United Nations has added nearly 70 more companies to a blacklist of firms from 11 countries that it says are complicit in violating Palestinian human rights through their business ties to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The new list spotlights companies that do business that's deemed supportive of the settlements, which are considered by many to be illegal under international law. It includes an array of companies like vendors of construction materials and earth-movers, as well as providers of security, travel and financial services.

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Israeli strikes on Yemen's capital kill at least 9 people and injure scores

Yemen's Houthi rebels said Friday that at least nine people were killed by Israeli strikes on the country's rebel-held capital of Sanaa the previous day, the latest in an increase in exchanges between Israel and the Iranian-backed rebels over the war in Gaza.

The strikes on Thursday afternoon came a day after a drone launched by the Houthis wounded 22 people in the southern Israeli city of Eilat, a rare breach of Israel's air defenses.

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