US President Donald Trump has said that Washington is engaged in “very deep” negotiations with the Palestinian group, Hamas, and urged the group to release all hostages in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Agency reports.

“We are in very deep negotiations with Hamas,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “If you don’t let them (hostages) all out, it’s going to be a tough situation. It’s going to be nasty.”

“I think of the 20, there could be some that have recently died, is what I’m hearing. I hope that’s wrong,” he said. “There are 20 people, maybe a little less, but there are 20 people that we want out. We want the bodies.”

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...