Middle East latest: Negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire have resumed, Hamas says

A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiations with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he is hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach.

Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas' political bureau, said in Turkey on Thursday that there has been a "reactivation" of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Iran, meanwhile, said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest in a program the West alleges improves its missile technology. The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel's continued war with Hamas and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon.

Israel’s war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

Israel's blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

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Here’s the Latest:

MANAMA, Bahrain - Iran said Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its program the West alleges improves Tehran's ballistic missile technology.

Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh program, a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran's Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That's the site of Iran's civilian space program.

The Simorgh carried what Iran described as an "orbital propulsion system," as well as two research systems to a 400-kilometer (250-mile) orbit above the Earth. A system that could change the orbit of a spacecraft would allow Iran to geo-synchronize the orbits of its satellites. Tehran has long sought that ability.

Iran also put the payload of the Simorgh at 300 kilograms (660 pounds), heavier than its previous successful launches.

There was no immediate independent confirmation the launch was successful. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The announcement comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel's continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and as an uneasy ceasefire holds in Lebanon.

MELBOURNE, Australia - Arsonists extensively damaged a Melbourne synagogue on Friday in what Australia's prime minister condemned as an antisemitic attack on Australian values.

The blaze in the Adass Israel Synagogue is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war.

A witness who had come to the synagogue to pray saw two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant with brooms inside the building at 4:10 a.m., officials said.

About 60 firefighters with 17 fire trucks responded to the blaze, which police said caused extensive damage.

Investigators have yet to identify a motive, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed antisemitism.

"This was a shocking incident to be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this," Albanese told reporters.

"To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an act of antisemitism, is attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security," he added.

ISTANBUL - A Hamas official says international mediators have resumed negotiating with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he was hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war was within reach.

Ceasefire negotiations were halted last month when Qatar suspended talks with mediators from Egypt and the United States because of frustration over a lack of progress between Israel and Hamas. But there has been a "reactivation" of efforts in recent days to end the fighting, release hostages from Gaza and free Palestinian prisoners in Israel, according to Bassem Naim, an official in Hamas' political bureau who spoke with The Associated Press in Turkey on Thursday.

Another official familiar with the talks confirmed the return of Qatari mediators. The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media.

Since the talks broke down, there have been significant shifts in the global and regional landscape. Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, and a ceasefire was declared last week between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, but Naim said he believes the incoming administration could "affect the situation positively" given that Trump had made halting wars in the region part of his campaign platform. Trump this week called for the release of all hostages held in Gaza by the time he takes office on Jan. 20, saying there would be "hell to pay" if that doesn't happen.

WASHINGTON — Three U.S. service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday.

Ryder said U.S. Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the U.S. to conduct counter strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base.

The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group.

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By Lolita Baldor