TOP OF THE AGENDA

Hamas sits out of Gaza ceasefire talks

Mediators are making an urgent push for a deal after the killing of Hamas's leader last month raised fears of a regional war. Credit: EPA

Talks over a ceasefire deal in Gaza are resuming on Thursday, but one key negotiator won't be sitting at the table. A senior Hamas official told the BBC that it will not participate in the negotiations, accusing Israel of adding "new conditions" to the framework put forward by US President Joe Biden at the end of May. Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has denied doing so and said Hamas has been the one demanding changes. US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators say they're seeking to iron out remaining issues to put together a plan. The talks suffered several setbacks last month and have been suspended since the assassination of the Islamist group's political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran - for which Israel has not claimed responsibility. One sticking point is the Philadelphi corridor, running along the Egyptian border with Gaza. According to documents reported on by the New York Times, Israel wishes to remain in control of the route. But the Hamas official insisted to the BBC that the group wanted a full withdrawal of Israel from Gaza.

‌

• Breaking: More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli military action in Gaza since the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

‌

• Fears of escalation: Lebanese men and women tell Orla Guerin they worry and wait for what comes next in the Middle East, hoping that mediation will prevent an all-out war. 

‌

• Outside the Middle East: Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has resigned following months of tense Gaza protests on campus, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra said it made an "error" cancelling the concert of a pianist for making comments on the war.

WORLD HEADLINES

• Ukrainian offensive: The British ministy of defence has said Ukrainian forces have a "clear right" to use UK-donated weapons for its incursion on Russian territory. Our live page has more. 

• Public health: The World Health Organization has declared the mpox outbreak in parts of Africa a public health emergency of international concern, as scientists express concern about the rapid spread of a new variant of the virus.

• Opening the door: North Korea will reopen one city to foreign tourists in December according to tour operators. Borders have been closed for almost five years, since the start of the Covid pandemic. 

• In Moscow: A Russian court has sentenced Ksenia Karelina, an American-Russian woman, to 12 years in jail for treason for donating $51 (£39) to a charity supporting Ukraine.

• All you can fly: Budget European airline Wizz Air has launched an unlimited flights subscription for for an annual fee of 499 euro (£428; $549), after it was named the worst airline for UK flight delays for the third year in a row.

MORE BBC NEWSLETTERS

• The Essential List: The best of the BBC, handpicked by our editors, in your inbox every Tuesday and Friday. Subscribe.

• In History: The past comes to life through the BBC's unique audio, video and written archive, each Thursday. Subscribe.

• US Election Unspun: Cut through the noise in the race for the White House, every Wednesday. Subscribe.