Hopes for fresh truce as Israel keeps up attacks in Gaza

 Israel's Mossad spy agency met Qatar's Prime Minister in Europe, focusing on a new Gaza truce and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israelis held by Hamas. Israeli officials now appear more willing to work towards a ceasefire and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israelis held by Hamas. The meeting between David Barnea and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was the first between senior officials from Israel and Qatar, acting as a mediator. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed negotiations were underway to recover prisoners held by Hamas, but tried to dash hopes for a truce by saying Israel had requests for a ceasefire and to remove troops from Gaza, but would not do so. Two major freight firms have said they will avoid the Suez Canal amid Houthi attacks in Yemen. The conflict has intensified in the past two weeks since the collapse of the truce that allowed Israeli prisoners in Gaza to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.