February 16, 2025

* Israel, Hamas complete 6th prisoner swap amid fears of Gaza truce collapse Palestinian resistance group hands over three Israeli captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel, completing the latest swap despite fears of the Gaza truce deal collapsing. Four recently freed Palestinian prisoners were rushed to the hospital upon arrival in Ramallah due to severe health complications, a humanitarian group says, amid reports of abuse in Israeli custody. Negotiations on a second phase of the ceasefire, meant to lay out steps towards a more permanent end to the war, are expected to begin next week. * Israel kills 3 in southern Lebanon in new ceasefire violation An Israeli air strike on a car in southern Lebanon killed three people and wounded five others, marking another violation of the ceasefire that began on November 27. Lebanon’s Civil Defence confirmed the attack in Jarjouaa village, Nabatieh, as Israeli violations in Lebanon reach 936 since the truce, with 76 killed and 270 injured, according to official Lebanese data. * Trump team to start Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia Senior US officials will hold peace talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, a US lawmaker and a source familiar with the plans confirmed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and White House Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff will lead the discussions, US Representative Michael McCaul said. * UN chief calls for DRC’s territorial integrity amid fears of regional war UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) territorial integrity to be respected and warned against the escalation of war in the region. Speaking at the African Union summit, Guterres said fighting in South Kivu due to the M23 offensive risks destabilising the entire region. His remarks came a day after Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seized a second provincial capital in eastern DRC. * Trump seeks 50% stake in Ukraine’s rare earth minerals for aid The Trump administration has proposed that the US receive a 50% ownership stake in Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for military and financial aid, NBC News reported, citing US officials. The proposal would grant Washington partial control over Ukraine’s critical mineral resources instead of direct financial repayment. It also includes a provision to deploy US troops to safeguard these assets, but only if a diplomatic resolution with Russia is reached.