Category World News

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has fully endorsed Israel’s war aims in the Gaza Strip, saying Hamas “must be eradicated” and throwing the future of the shaky ceasefire into further doubt.

Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in West Jerusalem on Sunday at the start of a regional tour, where he is likely to face pushback from Arab leaders over US President Donald Trump’s proposal to displace the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip and redevelop it under United States ownership, a plan that human rights organisations have called ethnic cleansing.

“The president has also been very bold, not the same tired ideas of the past but something new,” Rubio told reporters.

Netanyahu welcomed the plan, also referring to it as “bold”, and said he and Trump have a “common strategy” for Gaza’s future.

Echoing Trump, he said “the gates of hell would be open” if Hamas does not release dozens of remaining captives abducted in its October 7, 2023 attack that preceded the war.

The leaders’ remarks came just two weeks before the first phase of the ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 61,700 Palestinians, is set to end. The second phase – in which Hamas is to release dozens of remaining captives in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces – has yet to be negotiated.

Rubio said Hamas “cannot continue as a military or government force”.

“As long as it stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible,” Rubio said. “It must be eradicated.”

Such language could complicate efforts to continue talks with Hamas, which, despite suffering heavy losses in the war, remains intact and in control of Gaza.

The US Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Sunday that talks on the second phase of the ceasefire would continue this week, after he had “very productive and constructive” calls with Netanyahu, as well as Egypt’s director of intelligence and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

“[We spoke about] the sequencing of phase two, setting forth positions on both sides, so we can understand… where we are today, and then continuing talks this week at a local to be determined so that we can figure out how we get to the end of phase two successfully,” Witkoff said.

Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Sunday that an Israeli negotiating team would fly to Cairo on Monday for more talks on the Gaza ceasefire agreement and its implementation.

Former US diplomat Nabeel Khoury said Rubio has broken with the traditional setup for US diplomats to first meet with the Israeli government and then the Palestinian Authority, which has some control in the occupied West Bank.

“Rubio is not doing that. So this is sidetracking the Palestinian Authority despite all the conveniences and all the cooperation and collaboration it has given the Israeli government,” he told Al Jazeera.

“The next stop after Israel is going to be Riyadh and possibly the United Arab Emirates,” Khoury added, arguing that this fits into “Trump’s vision … which is rebuilding Gaza minus the Palestinian population”.

Osama Hamdan, a senior spokesperson for Hamas, told Al Jazeera that Israeli plans to force Palestinians out of Gaza are not new and have been voiced before, including during the first and the second Intifadas.

Trump “has no clue about the resistance of the Palestinians. He has no clue about how the Palestinians are connected to their homeland”, Hamdan said, noting “It’s not real estate. It’s a homeland.”

He added that every time Israeli officials have talked about the “elimination” of Hamas, the group has only become “stronger”.

With Trump, ‘we will finish the job’

Following the meeting with Rubio, Netanyahu said Israel and the US are both determined to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its “aggression” in the Middle East.

“Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilising activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people that call this region home is Iran,” Rubio said.

Netanyahu said Israel had dealt a “mighty blow” to Iran over the past 16 months since the start of the war in Gaza against Hamas and said that with the support of Trump “I have no doubt we can and will finish the job”.

He said Israel had weakened the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah and had hit hundreds of targets in Syria to prevent a new Iranian-backed front from opening up against Israel.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it carried out an air strike early on Sunday on people who approached its forces in southern Gaza.

The Gaza Interior Ministry said the strike killed three of its policemen while they were securing the entry of aid trucks near Rafah, on the Egyptian border.

Hamas said that the attack was a “serious violation” of the ceasefire and accused Netanyahu of trying to sabotage the deal.

Hamdan told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu and his government’s actions suggest “the ceasefire is in jeopardy”, but Hamas will do its best to continue with the agreement.

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy returns after an eight-year hiatus, with Pakistan hosting the tournament from February 19 to March 9.

The tournament will be the ICC’s only men’s limited-overs competition in 2025, with eight teams vying to lift the trophy and adorn the winners’ white blazers.

Here’s Al Jazeera’s ultimate guide to the tournament:

What’s the Champions Trophy and why is it so important for Pakistan?

The championship, originally named the ICC Knockout, was conceived as an elite tournament among cricket’s Test-playing nations and devised to fill the four-year gap between the ICC’s 50-over World Cup and help expand the game globally.

The inaugural edition was held in Bangladesh in 1998 and won by South Africa.

With the introduction of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ICC World Test Championship in 2019, the Champions Trophy was discontinued after the 2017 edition, which was hosted by England and won by Pakistan.

As the tournament makes its comeback for the ninth edition, the holders are hosting Pakistan’s biggest international sport event in 29 years.

The South Asian nation last hosted an ICC event in 1996, and the March 2009 gun attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore caused the cancelation or disruption of professional cricket tours in Pakistan for years to come.

For Pakistan, hosting a successful international tournament can help change the country’s perceptions, cricket experts told Al Jazeera.

Which teams are participating in the Champions Trophy 2025 and what’s the format?

Hosts Pakistan and the top seven ODI teams from the 2023 Cricket World Cup group qualified for the Champions Trophy. The tournament has been divided into a simple group-stage and knockout-stage format.

The 2025 edition sees high-flying limited-overs side Afghanistan make their tournament debut.

Following their round-robin fixtures, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals.

Group A: Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand

Group B: Australia, South Africa, Afghanistan, England

Afghanistan are gearing up for their maiden #ChampionsTrophy outing ???? pic.twitter.com/LSYyv71XuM

When is the opening match and when is the Champions Trophy final?

Pakistan will host New Zealand in the tournament opener at Karachi’s National Stadium on Thursday, February 19.

The final is scheduled for March 9, with the venue subject to India’s qualification for the match.

Group stage matches will be held from February 19 to March 2 and the semifinals will be played on March 4 and 5.

The tournament’s full match schedule is available here.

Why aren’t India playing their matches in Pakistan?

Up until a few weeks before the opening fixture, the tournament’s schedule hinged on India’s refusal – ostensibly based on their government’s directions – to travel to Pakistan and the host nation’s reluctance to move their neighbour’s matches to a neutral venue.

The months-long standoff was resolved when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) begrudgingly accepted a tit-for-tat hybrid model for the tournament, wherein India would play its Champions Trophy matches at a neutral venue and Pakistan would do the same for any upcoming ICC events hosted by India.

The ICC and the PCB then agreed to move India’s three group matches and one semifinal to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The final is set to be hosted at Pakistan’s cricket headquarters in Lahore but could move to Dubai should India qualify for it.

Where will the Champions Trophy matches be played?

Pakistan selected Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi as its three host cities for the tournament. Dubai was added to the list as a neutral venue in December 2024.

• National Stadium, Karachi: One of the oldest and most famous cricket grounds in Pakistan, the National Stadium has hosted hundreds of iconic Tests and limited-overs matches since its opening in 1955. The 30,000-capacity venue in Pakistan’s largest and most populous city has undergone major refurbishment for the Champions Trophy and will host the tournament’s opening match.
• Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: The headquarters of the PCB and Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy, Gaddafi Stadium is steeped in history and has hosted the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996, when Sri Lanka lifted the trophy in front of a rapturous crowd. Located in the city known as the beating heart of Pakistan, the 34,000-capacity venue will host three group matches, the second semifinal and the final – subject to India’s qualification.
• Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium: Despite its relatively smaller size and capacity of 18,000, the Pindi Stadium is famous for always being packed to the rafters for most international fixtures – whether Test matches or limited-overs games. The venue’s location in the Pakistani capital Islamabad’s twin city makes it easily accessible for fans. It will host three group matches, including Pakistan’s fixture against Bangladesh on February 27.
• Dubai International Cricket Stadium, UAE: In the 16 years since its inauguration, the venue has established itself as Pakistan and the ICC’s go-to “neutral” venue for international tournaments. With its modern “ring of fire” lighting and compact design, the venue is set to become a cauldron when India play their three group games, including the all-important match against Pakistan. Dubai will also host the first semifinal on March 4 and the final on March 9, should India qualify.

When and where is the India vs Pakistan group match?

While the marquee fixture was originally scheduled for Lahore on March 2, the match was moved to Sunday, February 23, in Dubai following an impasse and eventual agreement between both nations.

Due to the suspension of bilateral tours between the South Asian rivals, the teams play each other only during the ICC tournaments, making this match the only India vs Pakistan men’s fixture in 2025.

Temperatures will run high on and off the field as fans from both nations and around the world are expected to pack the venue, and players will look to seize the opportunity to gain bragging rights in one of the most eagerly-awaited sports fixtures of the year.

The first ball will be bowled at 09:00 GMT, but Al Jazeera’s live build-up to the match will begin at 04:00 GMT.

Which teams are favourites to win the Champions Trophy?

Al Jazeera’s top picks for the title are:

• Pakistan: The defending champions are favourites not only as hosts but also based on their recent run of good form in the ODI format. Mohammad Rizwan’s side would like nothing less than to win an ICC title at home – a feat they haven’t achieved in two previous attempts.
• India: The ICC’s top-ranked ODI team enter the Champions Trophy on the back of a 3-0 drubbing of England and with the T20 world title in the bag. The tournament may well serve as the farewell to ODI cricket for some of India’s biggest icons, including captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli.
• New Zealand: The unassuming Blackcaps have snuck their way to the top quarter of ICC’s ODI rankings following a tri-nation series win in Pakistan and will look to win their second Champions Trophy title since 2000.

Who are the top players to watch?

The top five players picked by Al Jazeera are:

• Babar Azam (Pakistan)
• Shubman Gill (India)
• Jos Buttler (England)
• Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)

Which top players will miss the tournament?

Australia’s World Cup-winning captain Pat Cummins and India’s world-leading pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah are the biggest names missing from their respective teams’ rosters.

Here’s Al Jazeera’s guide to the full squads.

What’s the prize money for the Champions Trophy?

The ICC has dramatically increased the total prize for the tournament to $6.9m, a 53 percent increase from the last edition.

Here’s a breakdown of the total:

• Champions: $2.24m
• Runners-up: $1.12m
• Losing semifinalists: $560,000
• Fifth and sixth position: $350,000
• Seventh and eighth position: $140,000

Who are the past winners?

Among this edition’s participants, both Australia and India have won the tournament twice, while Bangladesh and England are yet to win the title.

• 1998: South Africa
• 2000: New Zealand
• 2002: India and Sri Lanka (joint winners)
• 2004: West Indies
• 2006: Australia
• 2009: Australia
• 2013: India
• 2017: Pakistan

Are there any special rules, playing conditions or reserve days for the Champions Trophy?

The game’s standard rules and regulations for an ODI match apply to all fixtures.

Should a match end in a tie, the winner will be determined through a super over – an additional over per side that serves as an eliminator based on the team winning the one-over contest.

The points system will see the winning team bag two points, while a no result will see both sides walk away with one point apiece.

The semifinal spots will be allocated to the top two teams from each group based on their points. Should there be a tie on points, the team with the most wins will qualify and if that results in a tie, the team with the higher net run rate will make the cut.

Both the semifinals and the final have been allocated reserve days.

How can fans buy tickets for the Champions Trophy?

Tickets for the tournament have been released on a phase-by-phase basis by the ICC on its official online ticket platform and vendors across Pakistan.

Tickets for the final will be made available for purchase after the conclusion of the first semifinal in Dubai, as the venue will be confirmed based on India’s fate in the tournament.

How to follow and stream the Champions Trophy matches?

The tournament will be streamed by a number of official TV, digital and radio broadcasters across various regions.

Al Jazeera Sport will provide live pre-match build-up, as well as text and photo commentary stream for the pick of the group-stage matches and all three knockout games.

What is cricket and how is it played?

It’s a simple game of bat and ball, involving 11 players in each team but the rules can get a little complicated. Al Jazeera breaks it down for you here.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on his first official visit to Israel made no mention of Palestinians in a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spending most of his time criticising Iran’s influence in the Middle East. During Rubio’s visit, less than two weeks since Netanyahu met Trump at the White House, Israel killed two people in southern Gaza.

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US President Donald Trump has announced that he intends to talk “peace in Ukraine” with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin at a possible meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The two leaders’ encounter may yield some results – or prove an utter flop, as did their summit in Helsinki in 2018.

But what matters is that Trump’s bombshell of an announcement supercharged a conversation in Europe about what to do with an increasingly untrustworthy ally. The fact that an American president could contemplate, let alone affect, a grand geopolitical bargain in Europe over the heads of the Europeans has sent shivers down the spines of many, as has the prospect of being left alone to handle a hostile and aggressive Russia.

Discussions on how to respond to this predicament seem to have split into two lines of thinking.

One posits that the only realistic option is to hug the United States ever tighter in the hope that strategic withdrawal never takes place. That implies ignoring Trump’s rhetorical antics and, if need be, pandering to his Siberia-sized ego and meeting some of the demands he makes.

To please the US president, some have suggested slashing tariffs on US-made cars or purchasing larger volumes of liquefied natural gas from across the Atlantic. Everyone agrees that European states should spend more on defence, especially on US-made weapons. There is eagerness to do so, especially on the European Union’s eastern flank; Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania have already joined the queue to acquire the F-35, a state-of-the-art fighter jet from US defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Ukraine is a proud member of this group, too. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy started courting Trump well before he won the US election in November. It seems his pitch to grant the US access to Ukraine’s critical minerals has appealed to the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) contingent and the US president himself.

Sure enough, Zelenskyy was not given a heads-up about the US president’s call with Putin. The sense of betrayal is real. At the Munich Security Conference earlier this week, the Ukrainian president called for European unity in a clear rebuke of the divisive speech delivered by Trump’s vice president, JD Vance.

However, Zelenskyy will continue to lobby the notoriously mercurial Trump as well as old-school Republicans in the US administration, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, in order to shape the US position. In Munich, the Ukrainian president met with a group of Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham, who called for extending US support for the Ukrainian army.

The Kremlin and MAGA crowd seem to believe that Ukrainians have little to no agency. But three years of war shows otherwise. For a ceasefire to work, Ukraine would need to buy in and be present at the table – a point Zelenskyy made quite clear in Munich.

That said, it is rather unlikely that Trump would accommodate Kyiv. Scaling down support is a policy direction he embraces and his electorate is going along with it.

That is why there is a second line of thinking in Europe that calls for ending European dependence on the US. A longstanding proponent of this position is French President Emmanuel Macron. In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Macron renewed calls for strategic autonomy in critical domains, such as defence and technology. The AI summit in Paris earlier this month, along with the EU’s resolve to put up stiff resistance in a future tariff war with the US, indicate there is momentum in this direction.

Macron has also been the first European leader to float the idea of sending European troops to Ukraine. Though he does not believe EU members and the United Kingdom would be capable of despatching up to 200,000, a number mentioned by Zelenskyy, the option, as far as France is concerned, is very much on the table.

Macron sees Trump’s initiative as an opportunity for Europeans to “muscle up” and become a security guarantor. Ukraine can thus become Europe’s path to global relevance.

To be sure, this vision has plenty of potential weaknesses. Macron is vulnerable domestically and who will succeed him at the Elysee Palace is a pending question. Germany, likely to be governed by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) after the February 23 elections, is not nearly as hawkish. The populist challenge to Superpower Europe can also throw sand in the wheels.

European militaries have no capacity and are overreliant on the US. Budgets are strained, too, raising the classic guns-vs-butter dilemma. Germany’s debt brake, which the CDU is apparently reluctant to revisit, does not make matters any better. Also adding to the mix are longer-term concerns that have to do with productivity growth, innovation, and technological development which were highlighted in a September report by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi. All that should sober expectations that Europe could play in the same league as the US and China.

While the EU would struggle to emerge as a superpower on the world stage, its dependence on the US is unsustainable. Trump’s “America First” policy will inevitably continue to nudge Europeans more and more in Macron’s preferred direction. The takeaway from the US outreach to Putin is that the old rules and conventions governing transatlantic relations do not hold.

Even for the diehard believers in a bond with the US, hedging – a humbler version of strategic autonomy, essentially – has become the only viable option in the long run.

Rather than full divorce and dissolution of NATO, hedging implies pushing back against and conditioning US behaviour as much as possible. Or simply pursuing an independent policy without regard to what Washington might think on issues such as China, trade or regulations of the tech industry.

We are likely to see more and more of that going forward, even beyond Trump’s term.