Shin Bet and Mossad chiefs to head Israeli delegation to Gaza cease-fire summit in Qatar (2024)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and discussed the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Axios reported, citing two U.S. sources.

One source told Axios that Trump's call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the deal, but stressed he did not know if this is indeed what the former president told Netanyahu. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dozens of American Jewish leaders have published an open letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which they urge him "to finalize the deal on the table and to bring much-needed relief to those suffering" in Israel and Gaza.

Around 100 rabbis, cantors and other figures from the Jewish community in the United States signed the letter, which added that "every day that the hostages are held in Gaza is a day that hope is diminished. It's time to restore that hope to its full glory, reunite the hostages with their families and the entire Jewish people by sealing this deal."

Among those signing the document were Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky, the spiritual leader of Ansche Chesed, a Conservative congregation on Manhattan's Upper West Side, Rabbi Sara Hurwitz, the dean and co-founder of Yeshivat Maharat, the first Orthodox yeshiva to ordain women as clergy and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, who recently stepped down as spiritual leader of the largest LGBTQ congregation in the world.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday that Turkey will continue to support the Palestinian cause and push the international community to increase pressure on Israel, his office said.

The two leaders discussed recent developments and the steps to be taken for a lasting ceasefire and peace in Gaza, Erdogan's office said in a post on X.

Erdogan condemned Israel's war in Gaza, the statement said, accusing some Western countries of remaining silent and continuing to support Israel.

Erdogan also told Abbas that all countries, especially in the Muslim world, should step up efforts to ensure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Abbas is set to address an extraordinary session of Turkey's parliament on Thursday.

Turkey has denounced the war and has halted all trade with Israel. It submitted a request to join South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide.

Turkey's invitation to Abbas came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress on July 25, which Ankara has condemned. "We will show that Mr. Abbas has the right to speak in our parliament just as Netanyahu has the right to speak in the U.S. Congress," Erdogan told members of his ruling AK Party on Wednesday before meeting Abbas.

Erdogan, who has been a staunch supporter of Hamas, said Turkey had also planned to invite the political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran.

Here are the latest updates from day 313 of the war:

■ The United States expects Gaza cease-fire talks to go ahead as planned despite a decision by Hamas not to attend, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

■ CIA Director Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk will represent the U.S. at the summit in Qatar on Thursday, the White House press secretary said.

■ Two people were killed and five were wounded, including a child, in an Israeli drone attack on a vehicle in the village of Marj Ayyun, in southern Lebanon, Saudi media outlet Al-Hadath reported.

■ IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi held a situation assessment at the Philadelphi Corridor in the southern Gaza Strip and said the army is prepared to monitor the area, with the possibility of attacking if necessary, if the government chooses to withdraw forces from there.

■ A federal judge ruled that the University of California in Los Angeles cannot allow pro-Palestinian protesters to block Jewish students from accessing campus buildings, classes and services.

■ Hamas will only participate in negotiation talks for a deal if the talks focus on implementing the proposal detailed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May, a top official in the group, Osama Hamdan told The Associated Press.

The United States expects Gaza cease-fire talks to go ahead as planned despite a decision by Hamas not to attend, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday.

CIA Director Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk are to represent the United States at the talks on Thursday in Qatar, Jean-Pierre said.