Egypt

BELGRADE - Serbian President Alekandar Vucic spoke by phone with Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Wednesday to discuss the current challenges faced by Serbia.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is expected to discuss developments in the Middle East and the situation in Gaza with his Turkish counterpart during a visit to Turkey at the weekend, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Tuesday.

A recently accepted indictment has revealed a series of terror activities by ISIL-Khorasan in Istanbul, ranging from plans to attack parliament and military barracks in the city to establishing member recruitment networks.

Hamas has demanded a "clear written commitment" that Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip during the second of a three-phase ceasefire deal, a senior Egyptian official and a Hamas official said yesterday.

"We confirm our readiness to reach a deal regarding a serious exchange of prisoners between the two sides," Hamas said.

Iran launched a significant attack on Israel, firing numerous drones and missiles, which both Tel Aviv and Tehran confirmed. The attack was purportedly in retaliation for Israel's assault on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, resulting in casualties.

US President Joe Biden has urged Israel to unilaterally call for a 6- to 8-week ceasefire in Gaza, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach as a "mistake." This follows Biden's recent public pressure on Israel's conduct during the conflict, particularly after the deaths of seven aid workers in an airstrike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a ground offensive in Rafah is imminent, though no specific timing was provided. He emphasized the necessity of entering Rafah for a decisive victory over Hamas. Meanwhile, Hamas indicated dissatisfaction with an Israeli proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

Türkiye has said it will impose trade restrictions on Israel starting April 9 over the war in Gaza, covering a range of products including cement, steel and iron construction materials.

The new measures come a day after Türkiye said Israel had blocked its attempt to airdrop aid to Gaza.

Israel and Hamas both dampened hopes on Monday of a speedy breakthrough in Cairo talks towards a Gaza truce and hostage release deal after Egyptian state-linked media had reported "significant progress".

Efforts to broker a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip have shown signs of progress, with Egypt reporting advancements in negotiations between the two sides. However, the Israeli army has issued a cautionary statement, emphasizing that the withdrawal from the city of Khan Younis does not mark the end of military operations in the region.