Israel and Hamas have been at war since October 7, 2023, when the group launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials. More than 430 Israeli soldiers have died in the conflict, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Benjamin Netanyahu leaving the King David Hotel in Jerusalem to visit the Western Wall on June 12, shortly before Israel attacked Iran.Credit...Ziv Koren/Polaris, for The New York Times Supported by By Patrick Kingsley Ronen Bergman and Natan Odenheimer For this article,

Hours earlier, the White House confirmed that administration officials had been holding direct talks with Hamas to secure the release of at least some hostages.

President Trump issued a "last warning" to Hamas to release all hostages it still holds even as the White House confirmed unprecedented direct U.S.-Hamas talks.

It was not immediately clear whether the group was demanding any significant changes to the plan for a 60-day truce, hostage-for-prisoner swaps and talks on a permanent end to the Gaza war.

Only limited preparatory talks have been held so far. On Wednesday, Trump issued what he said was a “last warning” to Hamas after meeting with eight former hostages.

A British Islamic charity has received a formal warning and had one of its trustees disqualified following an "inflammatory and divisive" sermon delivered in the days after the 7 October Hamas attacks.

After meeting with former Israeli hostages Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued a new ultimatum to Hamas: Release every prisoner still being held in Gaza or "it is OVER for you." "I am sending ...