A cease-fire after two years of war with Israel has allowed Hamas to tighten its grip on power again. “It’s still standing,” one Israeli official said.

Delicate ceasefires and arrangements in the Middle East are nearing a breaking point as Israel and its adversaries weigh their next moves. Across Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, each front appears poised either to slide back into violence or to move forward with settlements that could bring a measure of calm.

President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan is set to enter a new phase within weeks, but crucial pieces of the agreement remain undefined as Israel tightens its military grip on the battered enclave.

Gaza militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab died from injuries sustained in a clan confrontation while working to distribute aid and fight Hamas in Rafah.

The killing of the commander, Raed Saad, on Saturday was the highest-profile assassination of a Hamas leader since a cease-fire came into force two months ago.

Gazans in tents have been hit by heavy rain as failure to find last Israeli hostage risks derailing peace plan.

A new report by Amnesty International has found that Palestinian militant group Hamas committed crimes against humanity during its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 and against hostages it took to Gaza.

Local officials said they were unable to cope with the storm because of fuel shortages and damage to equipment.