Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government was considering “alternative options” to ceasefire talks with Hamas after it and the U.S. recalled their negotiating teams.

President Trump’s special envoy said that “we will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home,” though it was not clear that negotiations had halted.

In our news wrap Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says he's considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks with Hamas, European diplomats attempted to restart negotiations over limiting Iran's nuclear program and Ghislaine Maxwell wrapped up questioning as the Justice Department pushes back on criticism it's concealing aspects of Jeffrey Epstein's relationship with President Trump.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has demanded that Israel provide evidence for its accusations that staff with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs were affiliated with Palestinian militants Hamas, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Friday.

It marks the latest setback in efforts to secure a deal that would bring a ceasefire to Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Gaza ceasefire talks are expected to resume next week following Israel's review of the response by Palestinian Hamas militants, Egyptian state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV said on Friday, citing an Egyptian source.

In May, Trump secured the release of Edan Alexander, the last US Israeli citizen held hostage after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and started the latest war. Alexander, who grew up in Tenafly, NJ, had been serving in the Israeli military when he was captured.

Israel is reviewing a revised response from Hamas to a proposed ceasefire and hostage-release deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Thursday, as Israeli air and ground strikes continued to pound the Gaza Strip.

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at mounting pressure for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal, escalating border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, and Iran holding nuclear talks with European powers.

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres declared that those who will not condemn Hamas over the heinous actions perpetrated on Oct. 7, 2023 "have no business" describing themselves as humanitarians.