Reuters

TEL AVIV: Qatar and the United States are on the verge of finalizing an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio while on his way to Doha from Tel Aviv on Tuesday. Rubio called for Qatar to continue its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war, saying there was &quot;a very short window of time in which a deal could happen.&quot; &quot;If any country in the world can help mediate it, Qatar is the one. They&#39;re the ones that can do it,&quot; Rubio said.&nbsp; Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he did not did not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders &quot;wherever they are&quot;, as the heads of Arab and Islamic states held a summit to back Qatar. Qatar called the Israeli attack &quot;cowardly and treacherous,&quot; but said it wouldn&#39;t deter it from its role as a mediator, alongside Egypt and the United States. &quot;We have a close partnership with the Qataris. In fact, we have an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, which we&#39;ve been working on, we&#39;re on the verge of finalizing,&quot; Rubio said.

Middle East

Calls on Qatar to continue role as mediator between Israel, Hamas to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.



Qatar, US to finalize enhanced defense cooperation agreement, Rubio says

Rome: Zinedine Zidane confirmed Sunday he would one day like to coach the France national team, but did not say if he was hoping to take over from outgoing boss Didier Deschamps.&nbsp;Zidane, who scored twice in France&#39;s 1998 World Cup final win over Brazil, led Real Madrid to three Champions League titles in his only previous senior head coaching role.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m sure I&#39;ll get back into coaching,&quot; Zidane said at an event organised by Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m not saying it&#39;s going to happen now, what I want one day is to coach the national team.&quot;&nbsp;The 53-year-old is the favourite to take over from Deschamps when the 2018 World Cup-winning coach steps down after next year&#39;s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.&nbsp;&quot;The most important thing is to have a passion for football and to want to pass on something to your players, what you have in you, deep within you,&quot; added Zidane, whose second spell in charge of Real Madrid ended in 2021.&nbsp;&quot;A coach has an important role in the success of his team. In my opinion his energy and desire are 80 percent of whether things go well.&quot;

Football

Zinedine Zidane confirmed his desire to coach France’s national team someday, expressing passion for football and leadership.

Zidane confirms ambition to coach France

ANTANANARIVO: Madagascar&#39;s presidency said on Sunday that an attempt to grab power by force was underway in the African nation as more soldiers joined a youth-led protest movement that has rocked the former French colony for more than two weeks. Troops from the elite CAPSAT unit that helped President Andry Rajoelina seize power in a 2009 coup, urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders on Saturday and back the youth-led protests, which began on September 25 and pose the most serious challenge to Rajoelina&#39;s rule since his reelection in 2023. CAPSAT officers said on Sunday they had command over the country&#39;s security operations and would coordinate all branches of the military from their base on the outskirts of the capital, Antananarivo. They said they had appointed General Demosthene Pikulas as head of the army. A unit of the paramilitary gendarmerie, which had so far tackled the protests together with the police, also broke ranks with the government on Sunday. &quot;All use of force and any improper behaviour towards our fellow citizens are prohibited, as the gendarmerie is a force meant to protect people and not to defend the interests of a few individuals,&quot; the Intervention Forces of the National Gendarmerie said in a statement broadcast on Real TV. It said it was coordinating with the CAPSAT headquarters. The Defence Ministry and the military general staff declined to comment. A Reuters witness saw three people injured after shots were fired along a road to the CAPSAT barracks on Sunday. Other witnesses said there was no sign of ongoing clashes. In a statement on the presidency&#39;s official social media account, Rajoelina&#39;s office said &quot;an attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power&quot; was underway, adding that the president had urged &quot;dialogue to resolve the crisis&quot;. Rajoelina&#39;s whereabouts were unknown on Sunday, but late on Saturday his office said he and the prime minister were &quot;fully in control of the nation&#39;s affairs&quot;. Gen Z protesters want president to step down The protests, inspired by Gen Z-led movements in Kenya and Nepal, began over water and electricity shortages but have since spread, with demonstrators calling for Rajoelina to step down, apologise for violence against protesters, and dissolve the Senate and electoral commission. Some demonstrators have been sporting T-shirts and flags with the same symbol - a skull with a straw hat from the Japanese manga series &quot;One Piece&quot; - used by youth-led demonstrators in countries including Indonesia and Peru. Thousands of protesters gathered in Antananarivo on Sunday to protest against the government and pay tribute to a slain CAPSAT soldier, whom the army unit said was killed by the gendarmerie on Saturday. The peaceful gathering was attended by church leaders and opposition politicians, including former President Marc Ravalomanana, as well as CAPSAT troops. Madagascar, a country where the median age is less than 20, has a population of about 30 million - three-quarters of whom live in poverty, according to the World Bank. A video broadcast by local media showed dozens of soldiers leaving the barracks on Saturday to escort thousands of protesters into the May 13 Square in Antananarivo, the scene of many political uprisings, which had been heavily guarded and off limits during the unrest. The African Union Commission&#39;s chief Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called for calm and restraint. Citing the security situation on the ground, Air France-KLM&#39;s AIRF.PA French division suspended flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and Antananarivo from October 11 to October

Protesters cheer members of the Madagascar military behind a fence during a nationwide youth-led demonstration over frequent power outages and water shortages, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, October 11, 2025. (Reuters)

Africa

Madagascar faces an attempted coup as elite soldiers join youth protests demanding President Rajoelina’s resignation amid unrest, with calls for dialogue and flight suspensions.

Madagascar president warns of coup attempt as more soldiers join protests

JERUSALEM: Israel plans to destroy what remains of Hamas&#39;s network of tunnels under Gaza, working with US approval after its hostages are freed, it said Sunday.&nbsp;Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation would be conducted under an &quot;international mechanism&quot; led by the United States, sponsor of the three-day-old Gaza ceasefire.&nbsp;&quot;Israel&#39;s great challenge after the hostage release phase will be the destruction of all Hamas terrorist tunnels in Gaza,&quot; Katz said in a statement.&nbsp;&quot;I have ordered the army to prepare to carry out this mission.&quot;&nbsp;Katz said the remainder would be destroyed under the framework of Hamas&#39;s disarming and demilitarisation, foreseen in the next stages of the US-backed ceasefire plan.&nbsp;Hamas has agreed to the first stage of the plan, which led to a ceasefire on Friday and on Monday should see the release of 48 Israeli hostages, living and dead.&nbsp;In exchange, Israel is expected to release 250 &quot;national security prisoners&quot;, including several blamed for deadly attacks, and 1,700 Gazans detained by the military.&nbsp;But Hamas has resisted calls to disarm, and on Sunday senior official Hossam Badran told AFP the second phase of the US plan &quot;contains many complexities and difficulties&quot;.

Israel plans to destroy what remains of Hamas's network of tunnels under Gaza, Hamas has agreed to the first stage of the plan, which led to a ceasefire on Friday.

Israel vows to destroy Gaza tunnels once hostages free

WUHAN: Coco Gauff overcame Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 on Sunday to clinch the third WTA 1000 title of her career in an all-American final at the Wuhan Open.&nbsp;The third-seeded Gauff secured the trophy without dropping a set after a 1hr 42min battle in the central Chinese city.&nbsp;In the first final between the former doubles partners, Gauff erased multiple deficits in the second set to improve her head-to-head record against Pegula to 3-4.&nbsp;The 21-year-old in the process became the first player in the Open Era to win her first nine hard-court finals.&nbsp;The pair had contrasting routes to the final with Gauff breezing dropping a mere 16 games while Pegula battled through three-setters in all eight of her previous matches.&nbsp;Gauff won the first six points of the match and it set the tone for what was to come, as she leapt to a 3-0 advantage.&nbsp;Pegula recovered from her slow start and went on the attack in game seven, breaking with a fierce backhand winner that helped her get back on level terms at 4-4.&nbsp;It looked like the sixth seed had swung the momentum her way but Gauff found a tiny opening two games later and broke to secure the opening set in 47 minutes.&nbsp;Pegula had come back from 2-5 down in her deciding set against world number one Aryna Sabalenka the day before and was more than ready for another fightback.&nbsp;Gauff has been reworking her serve with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan since the end of August.&nbsp;And while her numbers have improved since she added him to her team, the shot remains susceptible to ebbs and flows during stressful situations.&nbsp;The world number three double-faulted six times, allowing Pegula to break her twice for a 3-0 lead, then steadied the ship by getting both breaks back to draw level.&nbsp;There was another exchange of breaks, Pegula inching ahead with a cunning drop shot and Gauff pegging her back thanks to winning 10 consecutive points.&nbsp;Shortly after, Gauff raised her arms in celebration as a Pegula volley sailed wide on match point.

Tennis

Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 in the Wuhan Open final, claiming her third WTA 1000 title. Gauff rallied from multiple deficits, showcasing resilience and strong returns to win without dropping a set.

Gauff beats Pegula in straight sets to win Wuhan Open

LAHORE: Pakistan rode on a brilliant 93 from Imam-ul-Haq to reach 313-5 after a brief fightback from South Africa on the opening day of the first Test in Lahore on Sunday.&nbsp;Shan Masood hit 76, but Haq missed out on his hundred as Pakistan slumped to 199-5 as four wickets fell quickly.&nbsp;Mohammad Rizwan, 62 not out, and Salman Agha, unbeaten 52 at the close, rebuilt the innings during an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 114 in the final session on a spin-friendly Gaddafi Stadium pitch.&nbsp;Rizwan hit two fours and two sixes in his 12th Test half-century while Agha had two fours and a six in reaching his 10th fifty.&nbsp;Pakistan dominated most of the first two sessions, but then had a mini-collapse from 163-1 to 199-5 as they lost four wickets for 36 runs, the last three without adding a run either side of the tea interval.&nbsp;Spinner Prenelan Subrayen trapped Masood lbw for 76, including nine fours and a six, to end a 161-run stand with Haq.&nbsp;Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy then had Haq caught at short-leg by Tony de Zorzi, after a 236-minute knock that included seven fours and a six.&nbsp;Next ball, the last before tea , Muthusamy had Saud Shakeel caught and bowled to bring South Africa back into the game at 199-4.&nbsp;Local hero Babar Azam fell for 23, trapped leg-before by off-spinner Simon Harmer after the interval to make it 199-5 and leave a good 10,000 holiday crowd disappointed.&nbsp;South Africa could have been in a better position had they not dropped Masood on 61 and Haq on 72 with Subrayen the unlucky bowler on both occasions.&nbsp;With the pitch likely to turn, Masood opted to bat after winning the toss and named specialist spin duo Noman Ali and Sajid Khan in the team&nbsp;Pakistan lost opener Abdullah Shafique leg before to pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada off the third ball of the day.&nbsp;South African captain Aiden Markram turned to his spinners in the sixth over and by lunch had used all three -- Subrayen, Harmer and Muthusamy.&nbsp;But there were no further dramas in the opening session as Pakistan reached 107-1 at lunch after Haq had brought up his 10th Test fifty.&nbsp;The two-match series is part of the new World Test Championship two-year cycle. South Africa won the title by beating Australia in June.

Cricket

Pakistan reached 313-5 on day one of the Lahore Test against South Africa, led by Imam-ul-Haq’s 93 and a 114-run stand between Rizwan (62*) and Agha (52*) after a mid-innings collapse from 163-1 to 199-5.

Pakistan recover to 313-5 after South Africa strike back in first Test

MADRID: Israel has released the five remaining Spanish detainees from flotillas it blocked while they were carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists to devastated Gaza, sources at Spain&#39;s foreign ministry said on Sunday. Israel has this month intercepted in international waters two flotillas aiming to break its blockade of Gaza, where the United Nations has declared a famine after two years of brutal conflict. Israel arrested the crews, with Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg among the dozens of activists of various nationalities, sparking huge protests in Europe. Israel has been releasing them over recent days, with Spanish foreign ministry sources saying: &quot;The last five members of the flotilla held by Israel are now on their way to Spain.&quot; Among them is a member of the first flotilla who was not included in a first wave of releases after allegedly biting an Israeli prison officer. &quot;There are no more Spaniards from the flotilla detained in Israel,&quot; the ministry sources added. Almost 50 other Spanish flotilla members had returned home during the past week. The activists have complained of mistreatment during their detention in Israel. Israeli authorities have denied the allegations.

Pro-Palestinian supporters wave flags as they wait for the arrival of South African activists at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park

Europe

Israel released the last five detained Spanish flotilla members aiming to break Gaza’s blockade, ending Spain’s detentions amid protests and claims of mistreatment.

Spain says Israel frees its last Gaza flotilla members

BEIRUT: The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said Sunday that one of its members was wounded by an Israeli grenade dropped near a UN position in the country&#39;s south, the third incident of its kind in just over a month. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been working with the Lebanese army to support a November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and militant group Hezbollah that culminated in two months of open war. &quot;Just before noon yesterday, an Israeli drone dropped a grenade that exploded near a UNIFIL position&quot; in Kfar Kela, the force said in a statement published on Sunday. &quot;One peacekeeper was lightly injured and received medical assistance.&quot; Earlier this month, UNIFIL said Israeli drones had dropped multiple grenades near peacekeepers providing security for workers clearing rubble left over from the war. And in a similar episode in September, UNIFIL said Israeli drones had dropped four grenades near peacekeepers, with Israel insisting at the time that there had been &quot;no intentional fire&quot; directed at the force. UNIFIL said Saturday&#39;s incident represented &quot;another serious violation of resolution 1701 and concerning disregard for the safety of peacekeepers&quot;. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ended a 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and formed the basis of the November ceasefire. Under the US-brokered ceasefire, Hezbollah and Israel were both required to withdraw from south Lebanon, while UNIFIL deployed there alongside the Lebanese military, in part to help dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure. Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon on what it says are Hezbollah targets despite the truce, and has maintained its troops in five locations it deems strategic. &quot;We again call on the (Israeli army) to cease attacks on or near peacekeepers, who are working to rebuild the stability that both Israel and Lebanon have committed to restore,&quot; the UN peacekeeping force said. UNIFIL has been deployed since 1978 to separate Israel and Lebanon, and numbers some 10,000 personnel from almost 50 countries. In August, the Security Council voted to end UNIFIL&#39;s mission in 2027.

Firefighters douse the flames at the site of an overnight Israeli strike in Al-Msayleh area in southern Lebanon on October 11, 2025.

A UN peacekeeper in Lebanon was lightly injured by an Israeli grenade near a UNIFIL position, marking the third such incident in just over a month.

UN force in Lebanon says peacekeeper wounded by Israeli grenade

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani forces repelled an &ldquo;unprovoked&rdquo; cross-border assault overnight and inflicted heavy losses on Afghan Taliban fighters and affiliated militants, the military&rsquo;s media wing said, estimating more than 200 enemy fighters neutralized while 23 Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom.&nbsp;According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Afghan Taliban fighters, joined by Fitna al-Khawarij, a militant faction that Islamabad identifies as Indian-sponsored proxies of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), launched a coordinated attack along multiple sectors of the Pak-Afghan frontier on the night of October 11&ndash;12.&nbsp;The assault included heavy firing and limited ground raids aimed at destabilizing border districts to facilitate infiltration of terrorist elements, ISPR said in a detailed statement issued Sunday.&nbsp;&ldquo;Exercising the right of self-defence, the alert Armed Forces of Pakistan repelled the assault decisively all along the border and inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban forces and affiliated Khwarij,&rdquo; the statement said. &ldquo;Precision fires and strikes, as well as physical raids, were directed against Taliban camps, posts, terrorist training facilities and support networks operating from Afghan territory.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement added that 21 hostile positions on the Afghan side were briefly captured and multiple terrorist training centres &ldquo;used to plan and facilitate attacks against Pakistan&rdquo; were rendered inoperative.&nbsp;&nbsp;23 Pakistani soldiers &ldquo;embraced martyrdom while defending the territorial integrity of the motherland,&rdquo; while 29 others were wounded.&nbsp;According to ISPR&rsquo;s post-operation assessment, more than 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated terrorists were killed and many more injured in retaliatory strikes that caused &ldquo;extensive infrastructural damage to Taliban posts, camps, headquarters and support networks along the border, ranging from tactical to operational depth.&rdquo;&nbsp;Indian angle underscoredIn a strongly worded section of the release, the military&rsquo;s media wing highlighted what it described as India&rsquo;s growing involvement in Afghan-based terrorism directed against Pakistan.&nbsp;&ldquo;Last night&rsquo;s episode vindicates Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing position that the Taliban Government is actively facilitating the terrorists,&rdquo; ISPR said. <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZKz4Z-2EcrI?si=QHHyC8uH5DVAPVNH" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;">&nbsp;</iframe>&nbsp;</div>&nbsp;&ldquo;If the Taliban Government continues to sponsor terrorist outfits, in cohorts with India, for the shortsighted objective of destabilizing the region, the people and the State of Pakistan will not rest until the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is completely eliminated.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement noted that the border provocation coincided with the visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi, &ldquo;the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the region,&rdquo; where India had recently announced plans to upgrade bilateral engagement with the Taliban regime. <div class="fr-embed instagram-embed" style="width: 50%; display: block; max-width: 600px;"><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPspi-oDdV1/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=1064&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com&rp=%2Farticles%2F1272#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A4456653.600000024%2C%22ls%22%3A1149.9000000357628%2C%22le%22%3A1171.199999988079%7D" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="871" scrolling="no" style="background: white; max-width: 540px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-shadow: none; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px;"></iframe></div>&nbsp;&ldquo;We have noted with concern that this serious provocation has occurred during the visit of the Taliban Foreign Minister to India,&rdquo; ISPR added, calling on the Taliban government to take &ldquo;immediate and verifiable actions to neutralize terrorist groups, including FAK, FAH and ISKP/Daesh, operating from Afghan territory.&rdquo;&nbsp;The military reaffirmed that Pakistan &ldquo;will continue to exercise its right to defend its people by persistent neutralization of terror targets,&rdquo; and urged Kabul to prioritize &ldquo;the well-being, peace and prosperity of the Afghan people over irresponsible sabre-rattling.&rdquo;&nbsp;Clashes across multiple sectorsSecurity officials said Afghan troops opened unprovoked fire late Saturday night across several sectors of the frontier, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Baramcha in Balochistan, allegedly to facilitate infiltration by Khawarij formations linked to the TTP.&nbsp;Pakistani positions retaliated &ldquo;with full force&rdquo; using artillery, tanks and air assets, security sources told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;&ldquo;Afghan forces are in a state of panic due to the intense retaliation,&rdquo; one source said. &ldquo;Several posts have been abandoned as a result of heavy losses. Afghan soldiers fled, leaving behind multiple bodies.&rdquo;&nbsp;Security officials said Afghanistan has formally requested a halt to Pakistan&rsquo;s counter-action as precision targeting continues against Khawarij and Daesh elements operating from Afghan territory.&nbsp;Video footage obtained by Pakistan TV Digital showed fires raging at several destroyed outposts, with captured installations strewn with military gear. In one clip, an Afghan Taliban fighter appeared to surrender to Pakistani troops.&nbsp;&lsquo;A godsend opportunity&rsquo;Defence analyst Hasaan Khan said the episode demonstrated that Pakistan had both the legal and strategic right to eliminate terror sanctuaries across the border.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is a godsend opportunity for Pakistan,&rdquo; Khan told Pakistan TV.&nbsp;&ldquo;The initiative has been taken by the Afghan Taliban; they started the war. They attacked Pakistani posts and violated international law. Now Pakistan must strike the areas where, based on our intelligence, the TTP and terrorist training camps are located.&rdquo;&nbsp;Khan described Muttaqi&rsquo;s recent remarks against Pakistan as &ldquo;jingoistic&rdquo; and &ldquo;provocative,&rdquo; arguing that no Pakistani political leader &ldquo;religious or secular,&rdquo; would tolerate such rhetoric. He added that &ldquo;India&rsquo;s hand&rdquo; was evident behind the latest escalation.&nbsp;&ldquo;India wants Pakistan and Afghanistan to be in actual conflict,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Afghan Taliban must understand Indian intentions,&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;India&rsquo;s only interest in Afghanistan is to harm Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;They have betrayed every Afghan government in the past, from Dr. Najibullah to Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani.&rdquo;&nbsp;Political leadership stands with Armed ForcesPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday lauded the Armed Forces for their &ldquo;strong and effective action&rdquo; in response to Afghanistan&rsquo;s provocations and for successfully targeting terrorist hideouts across the border.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are proud of the professional expertise of the Pakistan Armed Forces,&rdquo; he said in a statement issued by his office in Lahore. &ldquo;There will be no compromise on Pakistan&rsquo;s defence, and every provocation will be met with a strong and effective response.&rdquo;&nbsp;The prime minister paid tribute to the 23 security personnel who embraced martyrdom, prayed for the elevation of their ranks and for the speedy recovery of the wounded, and expressed condolences to their families.&nbsp;He reiterated that Pakistan has repeatedly provided Afghanistan with intelligence on terrorist elements, including Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan, operating from Afghan soil.&nbsp;&ldquo;Terrorist organizations are receiving support from elements present in Afghanistan,&rdquo; the prime minister said, urging the Taliban caretaker government to ensure its territory is not used against Pakistan. <div class="fr-embed instagram-embed" style="width: 50%; display: block; max-width: 600px;"><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPr3CInDWOv/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=1064&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com&rp=%2Farticles%2F1272#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A4503209.699999988%2C%22ls%22%3A1149.9000000357628%2C%22le%22%3A1171.199999988079%7D" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="871" scrolling="no" style="background: white; max-width: 540px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-shadow: none; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px;"></iframe></div> <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"> </div>Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned Afghanistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;blatant violation of international law.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The fire and blood being played out from Afghanistan have links to our perennial enemy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Afghanistan will be given a strong, decisive response &mdash; just as India was.&rdquo;&nbsp;Border crossings closedFollowing the clashes, Pakistan temporarily closed all major crossings along the 2,600-kilometre Pak-Afghan frontier, including Torkham and Chaman, as well as Kharlachi, Angoor Adda and Ghulam Khan, officials confirmed.&nbsp;In the wake of the rising tensions, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar on Sunday voiced concern over the escalation, urging both nations to show restraint and pursue dialogue. Riyadh said it was &ldquo;following with concern the tensions and clashes witnessed in the border areas,&rdquo; while Tehran and Doha also called for diplomacy to prevent further escalation. With additional inputs from Reuters, APP and Pakistan TV

Security

Heavy clashes erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as Pakistani forces repelled Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij attacks, neutralizing over 200 militants, capturing multiple positions, and sustaining 23 soldier fatalities while ongoing tensions continue to threaten regional stability.

Over 200 Taliban, affiliates killed; 23 Pakistani soldiers martyred in border clashes: Pak Army

DOHA: A Hamas source close to the group&#39;s negotiating committee told AFP on Sunday that it will not participate in post-war Gaza governance, as world leaders prepare to converge on Egypt for a Gaza peace summit. The source&#39;s comments come days after an Israel-Hamas ceasefire came into effect, and as both sides discuss implementing US President Donald Trump&#39;s 20-point plan to end the war, which calls for Hamas&#39; disarmament and for the group not to be involved in running post-war Gaza. &quot;For Hamas, the governance of the Gaza Strip is a closed issue. Hamas will not participate at all in the transitional phase, which means it has relinquished control of the Strip, but it remains a fundamental part of the Palestinian fabric,&quot; the source told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Unlike other more top-heavy militant organisations in the region, Hamas&#39; leadership has in the past been divided on key issues, including on the future administration of Gaza. But where there appears to be no division among top members is on the question of disarmament, which the group has long described as a red line. &quot;Hamas agrees to a long-term truce, and for its weapons not to be used at all during this period, except in the event of an Israeli attack on Gaza,&quot; the source said. Another Hamas official who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive topics had earlier told AFP that Hamas&#39; disarmament was &quot;out of the question&quot;. The first clause of Trump&#39;s 20-point plan calls for Gaza to become a &quot;deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors&quot;. The plan also states Hamas will not have a role in future governance of the Strip, and that its military infrastructure and weapons should be &quot;destroyed and not rebuilt&quot;. Under Trump&#39;s plan, a temporary technocratic and apolitical Palestinian committee would be charged with the day-to-day running of public services. The source close to the negotiators said they had asked for mediator Egypt to call a meeting before the end of next week to agree on the composition of this committee, adding that &quot;the names are almost ready&quot;. &quot;Hamas, along with the other factions, have submitted 40 names. There is absolutely no veto over them, and none of them belong to Hamas,&quot; he added.

Palestinian children walk past destroyed buildings in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP)

A Hamas source said the group will not govern post-war Gaza, supporting a technocratic committee instead, amid US-brokered ceasefire and peace plan talks.

Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza after war, says source close to negotiators

CAIRO: Preparations were underway Sunday for a ramp-up of aid entering the war-battered Gaza Strip under a new ceasefire deal that many are hoping will signal an end to the devastating 2-year-long war. The Israeli defense body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza, COGAT, said that the amount of aid entering Gaza Strip is expected to ramp up on Sunday to around 600 trucks per day, as stipulated in the agreement. Egypt said it is sending 400 trucks carrying aid into Gaza Sunday. The trucks will have to be inspected by Israeli forces before being allowed in. Associated Press footage showed dozens of trucks crossing the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing. The Egyptian Red Crescent said the trucks include medical supplies, tents, blankets, food and fuel. The trucks will head to the inspection area in the Kerem Shalom crossing for screening by Israeli troops. In recent months, the UN and its partners have been able to deliver only 20% of the aid needed in Gaza because of the fighting, border closures and Israeli restrictions on what enters. Expanding Israeli offensives and restrictions on humanitarian aid have triggered a hunger crisis, including famine in parts of the territory. The United Nations has said that it has about 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine and other humanitarian aid ready to enter Gaza once Israel gives the green light. Gaza Humanitarian Fund future in questionThe fate of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli- and US-backed contractor that replaced the UN aid operation in Gaza in May as the primary food supplier, remains unclear. Food distribution sites operated by the group in the southernmost city of Rafah and central Gaza were dismantled following the ceasefire deal, several Palestinians said Sunday. Hoda Goda, who used to go to the GHF sites in Rafah earlier this year, said people had dismantled the structures and taken wood and metal fences GHF workers used to control the crowds. Another Palestinian, Ehab Abu Majed, said the site in eastern Khan Younis was also dismantled, and there was no food distribution in the past two days. Ahmed al-Masri, a man living in the central Nuseirat refugee camp, said a third site in the Netzarim corridor area was also dismantled. GHF had been touted by Israel and the United States as an alternative system to prevent Hamas from taking over aid. However, its operations were mired in chaos and hundreds of Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire while heading to its four sites. The Israeli military has said its troops fired warning shots to control crowds. A GHF representative declined to comment Sunday. Preparations for hostage, prisoner release, Trump visitPreparations were also underway Sunday for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. A message sent Saturday from Gal Hirsch, Israel&rsquo;s coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing and obtained by The Associated Press, told hostage families to prepare for the release of their loved ones starting Monday morning. One of the families of the hostages confirmed the note&rsquo;s authenticity. Hirsch said preparations in hospitals and in Rei&rsquo;im camp were complete to receive the live hostages, while the dead will be transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification. An international task force will start working to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within the 72-hour period, said Hirsch. Officials have said the search for the bodies of the dead, some of whom may be buried under rubble, could take time. Israeli officials believe about 20 of the hostages out of 48 held by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza are still alive. All of the living hostages are expected to be released Monday. US President Donald Trump, who pushed to clinch the ceasefire deal, is expected to arrive in Israel Monday morning. He will meet with families of hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel&rsquo;s parliament, according to a schedule released by the White House. Trump will then continue on to Egypt, where the office of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has said he will co-chair a &ldquo;peace summit&rdquo; on Monday with attendance by regional and international leaders. Timing has not yet been announced for the release of some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel who are to be freed under the deal. They include 250 people serving life sentences in addition to 1,700 people seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. Gaza residents return homePalestinians continued to move back to areas vacated by Israeli forces Sunday, although many were returning to homes reduced to rubble. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed a line of vehicles traveling north to Gaza City. The photos taken Saturday showed a line of vehicles on Al Rashid Street, which runs north-south along the Gaza Strip&rsquo;s coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. Tents along the coast also could be seen near Gaza City&rsquo;s marina. Many people have been living along the sea to avoid being targeted in Israeli bombardment of the city. Armed police were seen in Gaza City and southern Gaza patrolling the streets and securing aid trucks driving through areas from which the Israeli military had withdrawn, according to residents. The police force is part of the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. Two years of war have wrought devastationThe war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage. In Israel&rsquo;s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to Gaza&rsquo;s Health Ministry, which doesn&rsquo;t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.&nbsp; The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies. While both Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza welcomed the initial halt to the fighting and plans to release the hostages and prisoners, the longer-term fate of the ceasefire remains murky. Key questions about governance of Gaza and the post-war fate of Hamas have yet to be resolved. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X that he had instructed the Israel military to prepare to begin destroying the network of tunnels built by Hamas under Gaza &quot;through the international mechanism that will be established under the leadership and supervision of the US&rdquo; once the hostages are released.

A ceasefire in Gaza has enabled increased aid deliveries, with 600 trucks expected daily. Hostage and prisoner releases are set to begin, while uncertainty remains over Gaza’s governance and post-war reconstruction.