Qatar

U.S. and Israeli officials have urged the Gulf state to exert more pressure on the Palestinian armed group to reach a deal.

Elliott Broidy had filed lawsuits against a former C.I.A. officer and three lobbyists accusing them of helping Qatar engineer the theft and distribution of his communications to discredit him.

A resolution for the U.N. that American diplomats are circulating was notable for its strong language in seeking a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages.

Efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza are the backdrop, but the Biden administration also hopes to persuade Saudi Arabia to establish normal relations with Israel.

Hamas and Israel failed to reach an agreement ahead of Ramadan. Last week, Hamas dropped one of its demands.

Hamas’s new proposal would allow the release of hostages in exchange for a phased pullback of Israeli troops. It could restart negotiations.

Weeks of indirect negotiations appear to have stalled over Hamas’s insistence on a permanent cease-fire during or after any hostage releases, a demand that Israel has rejected.

A day after President Biden suggested that there could be a deal as soon as Monday, a Hamas official indicated that the group was not satisfied with what had been floated in truce and hostage talks.

The Israeli leader reiterated plans for a military operation in the southern Gaza city that he says is essential to eliminating Hamas.

An Israeli delegation was meeting with officials from Egypt, Qatar and the United States, the latest attempt to advance a deal for a cease-fire and the release of hostages.