The push comes with a backdrop of seismic shifts in the Middle East that have seen Iran's armed allies in Gaza and Lebanon heavily degraded and Syria's government overthrown by rebels.

"We announce that we will suspend our military operations against [Israel]," the Nujaba Movement's leader said.

It is the Iranian-controlled Iraqi militias (Popular Mobilization Forces, PMF or PMU) that may be the most difficult Iranian proxy to degrade.

The Israeli security cabinet approved a ceasefire deal on Friday, paving the way for the return of the first hostages from Gaza as early as Sunday and bringing a halt to 15 months of conflict that have devastated the Palestinian coastal strip.

A senior Israeli official says the government is working with allies in a renewed push to win the freedom of an Israeli-Russian researcher who is believed to have been kidnapped in Iraq nearly two years ago.

Israel's cabinet approved a deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas for a ceasefire and release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Saturday, a day ahead of the agreement's scheduled start.

When asked how much credit Trump's team should get for this deal, given Trump has already claimed credit, Biden said "This is the exact framework of the deal I proposed back in May. Exact. And, we got the world to endorse it.

Load Map What is the travel distance between Jerusalem, Israel and Baghdad, Iraq? How many miles is it from Baghdad to Jerusalem. 544 miles / 875.48 km is the flight distance between these two places. Use the Distance calculator given below to find ...

The official said Thursday that the matter was raised in a meeting of special envoys for hostage affairs in Jerusalem this week ... Israel and Iraq do not have diplomatic relations.

JERUSALEM (AP) — A senior Israeli official ... Israeli-Russian researcher who is believed to have been kidnapped in Iraq nearly two years ago. JERUSALEM (AP) — A senior Israeli official ...

Yahrzeit (anniversary of death) of Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam; also known as Maimonides), Talmudist, codifier, physician, and philosopher, widely regarded as the most influential Jewish thinker of the Middle Ages.

The deal, not yet formally announced, outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase and includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel.