Syrian defence ministry says military operation over and forces ‘paving way for life to return to normal’ – Middle East crisis live

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The Times of Israel reports that police in Tel Aviv have questioned a protester who has repeatedly read out the names of hostages still held captive in Gaza by Hamas outside the house of a lawmaker from Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.

It reports that Itzik Levy “made a morning routine of” using a loudhailer outside Amir Ohana’s home. The Knesset member made a complaint of harassment.

AFP reports that the Greek oil tanker Sounion, which caught fire after being attacked by Yemen’s Houthis in August 2024, has been successfully towed through the Suez canal as part of the recovery process, and is bound for Greece. The ship was carrying a significant amount of oil when it was attacked, causing fears of a major environmental disaster.

Syrian defence ministry: military operation is over and forces are 'paving the way for life to return to normal'

Hassan Abdul Ghany, Syria’s defence ministry spokesperson, has said in a statement on social media that with the end of a military operation against remnants of the Bashar al-Assad regime, public institutions were now able to resume their work and provide essential services.

“We are paving the way for life to return to normal and for the consolidation of security and stability,” Abdul Ghany said.

Reuters reports he added that plans were in place to continue combating the remnants of the former government and eliminate any future threats.

Ghany said “We were able to absorb the attacks from the remnants of the former regime and its officers. We shattered their element of surprise and managed to push them away from vital centres, securing most of the main roads.”

Syrian news agency Sana quoted him threatening further retribution against forces loyal to Assad, saying:

To the remnants of the defeated regime and its fleeing officers, our message is clear and explicit: If you return, we will return, and you will find before you only men who do not know how to retreat and who do not have mercy on those whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocent.

The British-based Syrian Observatory has reported that more than 1,000 people were killed during two days of fighting, including 745 civilians, 125 members of the Syrian security forces and 148 fighters loyal to the previous regime.

Protesters in London have daubed red paint on and occupied the entrance of a branch of Allianz Insurance commercial offices in Gracechurch Street in protest at the companies links to Israeli arms company Elbit Systems.

Members of Palestine Action occupy and deface the entrance of a branch of Allianz Insurance commercial offices in Gracechurch Street, London. Photograph: Lucy North/PA

The defaced logo of Allianz Insurance at its Gracechurch Street office. Photograph: Lucy North/PA

Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that in the past 24 hours, hospitals in Gaza have received nine more bodies of those killed by Israeli forces. Five of the bodies had been recovered, with four new deaths reported.

In addition, Al Jazeera reports that a Palestinian woman has been wounded by Israeli fire in Rafah in the south of the territory. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has banned Al Jazeera from operating inside Israel.

Syria’s defence ministry has announced it has completed military operations to fight remnants of former ousted president Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

China on Monday called for all warring parties in Syria to “immediately stop” violence. AFP reports foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said “China follows closely the situation in Syria and is concerned about the large number of casualties caused by these armed clashes.”

Mao said China called on “relevant parties to immediately stop armed clashes and hostile actions, earnestly protect the safety of civilians, respect and adhere to the principle of inclusiveness”.

She also urged them to “find a national reconstruction plan that meets the will of the Syrian people through dialogue.”

Hamas: 'We have softened demands at request of mediators and Trump’s envoy'

Israeli media is quoting a Hamas spokesperson saying the group has “softened” its demands.

Haaretz quotes Abdul Latif al-Qanou saying:

We have softened our demands at the request of the mediators and Trump’s envoy, and we await the results of the negotiations. Israel’s duty is to agree to move to the second stage.

The talks are based on ending the war, withdrawing, and rebuilding the Gaza Strip. We agree to the Egyptian proposal to establish a committee responsible for managing the Gaza Strip and its reconstruction.

Israel’s decision to cut off electricity and talk about resuming the fighting constitute a threat to the hostages. They will only be released through negotiations.

Israel is reported to be sending a delegation to Qatar to continue talks. Over the weekend it said it would cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip, a move which Hamas condemned as blackmail.

Hamas has said that it has dealt with ceasefire and hostage release negotiations with flexibility, and that it is awaiting to hear the outcome of discussions between mediators and Israel, Reuters reports.

In Australia, federal police say a caravan with explosives found in Sydney that appeared to be part of a plot to launch an attack on a synagogue was a “fake terrorism plot” and “never going to cause a mass casualty event.”

The Australian federal police deputy commissioner, Krissy Barrett, said on Monday investigators now believed the caravan incident was concocted by criminals who wanted to cause fear for personal benefit.

The motivation was understood to be both to distract police and divert their resources away from organised crime, as well as to create plots that incarcerated criminals could use to tip off law enforcement as a gesture to reduce their sentences.

“The findings of this investigation should not in any way diminish the summer of fear and anxiety which the Jewish community experienced or the vicious nature of the attacks which included the attempted arson of Synagogues and the firebombing of a childcare centre,” president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip said.

Elias Visontay and Daisy Dumas have a full report here: Sydney caravan a ‘fake terrorism plot’ by criminals hoping to cause fear for personal benefit, police allege

France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot has said he has spoken to Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani. Reuters reports Barrot said he had discussed the latest violence in Syria and told al-Shaibani that France wanted that those responsible for the violence to be punished.

Palestinian news agency Wafa is reporting multiple arrests overnight by Israeli security forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

It reports that 11 people were arrested in Hebron, and that further detentions of Palestinians took place in Qalqilya, Jalazone and Bethlehem.

IDF to replace Daniel Hagari with new official spokesperson Effie Defrin

Israel has announced that the position of official IDF spokesperson will be taken up by BG Effie Defrin, who will replace Rr Adm Daniel Hagari “following an orderly and professional transition.”

In a statement the IDF said that Defrin had been appointed by the new chief of the general staff, Eyal Zamir, and the appointment had been approved by Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz.

Israel to send negotiating team to Qatar after electricity cut to Gaza threat

An Israeli mediating team is expected to travel to Qatar on Monday to continue fragile negotiations over the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza and the ceasefire with Hamas.

Israeli media reports that the delegation will include government coordinator for the hostages Gal Hirsch, and senior adviser to Benjamin Netanyahu Ophir Falk. US president Donald Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is also expected to arrive in Doha later in the week, potentially on Wednesday.

Israel said over the weekend it plans to cut off any remaining electricity supplies to Gaza. In a video announcing the directive, Eli Cohen, Israel’s energy minister, said that Israel would use “all means available … to ensure the return of all Israeli hostages” and that Hamas would not remain in Gaza after the war. Hamas accused Israel of “cheap and unacceptable blackmail.”

Welcome to the Guardian’s ongoing coverage of conflict in the Middle East. Here are the latest headlines …

• Israel has said it will cut off remaining electricity supplies to Gaza in what appears to be an attempt to ramp up pressure on Hamas amid increasingly chaotic multi-track negotiations over the fragile ceasefire in the territory. Hamas accused Israel of “cheap and unacceptable blackmail”. International humanitarian law prohibits collective punishment

• An Israeli negotiating team is expected to leave for Qatar on Monday for the renewal of talks. US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Doha later this week

• The UN has condemned what it called “extremely disturbing” reports of entire families being killed in north-west Syria as clashes between security forces and Assad regime loyalists resulted in the country’s highest death toll since the start of its revolution in 2011

• US immigration agents have arrested Palestinian graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, who has played a prominent role in pro-Palestinian protests at New York’s Columbia University. Secretary of state Marco Rubio said “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported”

• Iran has said it would consider negotiations with the United States if talks were confined to concerns about the militarisation of the country’s nuclear programme