Monday Briefing: Hostage talks to continue in Qatar

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February 26, 2024

By Jonathan Wolfe

Good morning. We’re covering hostage negotiations in the Middle East and public sentiment in Ukraine.

Plus, the power of an Oscar in Uganda.

During a truce last year, more than 100 hostages were released. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

Hostage talks are set to continue in Qatar

An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Qatar as soon as today for talks on a new deal for a temporary cease-fire with Hamas and the release of some hostages held in Gaza, according to an Israeli official.

The negotiations follow talks held in Paris on Friday between an Israeli delegation and mediators from the U.S., Qatar and Egypt. In those discussions, Israel’s delegation agreed to a basic outline for a deal that would involve a six-week truce and the exchange of about 40 hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, officials said.

Israel’s war cabinet approved the broad terms on Saturday night, an Israeli official said. The goal was to reach a deal before the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, which is expected to begin around March 10.

Hamas representatives did not attend the Paris meeting, and it was not immediately clear how acceptable the outline was to the group. One main sticking point has been Hamas’s insistence on a complete cessation of hostilities as a condition for any hostage deal, as well as the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.

In Israel, the police said they arrested 21 people in Tel Aviv on Saturday night amid clashes with protesters who were calling for the ousting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the return of hostages.

Ukrainians knelt by the roadside as the coffin of a soldier passed by. Lynsey Addario for The New York Times

Ukrainians vow never to bow to Russia

Ten years after the conflict with Russian-backed separatists broke out and two years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainians remain determined. Nearly 90 percent still believe in Ukraine’s ultimate victory as long as Western aid continues, according to a recent poll.

More than 60 percent of respondents considered themselves happy, despite a similar share saying they had lost at least one relative or friend. But there are signs of growing pessimism: In December, 19 percent of respondents said they were ready to make concessions to Russia to bring an end to the war, an increase from 10 percent in May.

Ukraine’s death toll: President Volodymyr Zelensky said some 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since Russia invaded two years ago, the first time he has acknowledged a concrete figure for Ukraine’s toll.

How the C.I.A. secretly helps Ukraine: For more than a decade, the U.S. has nurtured a clandestine intelligence partnership with Ukraine that is now critical for both countries in countering Russia.

Sudan’s war has forced eight million people from their homes. Luis Tato/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Atrocities mount in Sudan

A new U.N. report lays out in graphic detail the horrors of Sudan’s spiraling civil war. Drawing on satellite imagery, photographs, videos and interviews with over 300 victims and witnesses, it presents the stark human toll from 10 months of fighting.

Women and children have been raped or gang raped. Recruitment of child soldiers is common. Both sides have committed indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Foreign powers, including the United Arab Emirates and Iran, have stepped in to back one side or the other, sending sophisticated weapons to the battlefield that have increased the risks to civilians.

Background: The fight started in April 2023 as a power struggle between the leaders of the military, which dominated Sudan for decades, and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary force that comes mainly from Darfur.

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Aleksandr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus for three decades. Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times

International

A residential block ravaged by fire in Valencia, Spain. Jose Jordan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Sports and Culture

A Morning Read

Women’s sports have become more popular around the world. Marian Carrasquero for The New York Times

In what is believed to be a first in Latin America, a professional women’s softball league has started in Mexico. It’s another gain for women in a region where men often have more opportunities, particularly in sports.

Lives lived: Zong Qinghou, a self-made beverage entrepreneur who was once the richest person in China, died at 79.

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As a campaigner, Bobi Wine is cheerful and stylish, our critic writes. Katumba Badru/National Geographic

By Lynsey Chutel

The power of an Oscar

For the Ugandan opposition politician Bobi Wine and his wife, an Oscar-nominated film feels like a “bulletproof vest.”

That’s what Barbie Kyagulanyi, Wine’s wife, said about the film “Bobi Wine: The People’s President,” one of the nominees for best documentary feature this year.

Wine is a leading opponent of President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. The film examines the 2021 presidential election in Uganda. Wine, who is also a popular singer in the country, has been arrested multiple times and has been held under house arrest.

The film shows Kyagulanyi’s determination to free her husband, as well as tender moments between the couple. “The more the world knows about our plight, the safer we become,” Wine said in an interview by email. “An Oscar win would mean life secured.”

The Oscar ceremony will be held on March 10 in Los Angeles.

Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

Cook: Honey-glazed mushrooms with udon deliver the winning trifecta of sweet, savory and earthy.

Watch: In the tender but unsparing “Io Capitano,” the director of “Gomorrah” follows two boys journeying from Senegal to Europe.

Read: The Times Book Review has a guide to finding your next book.

Listen: Here are six podcasts for foodies.

Play Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you tomorrow. — Jonathan

We welcome your feedback. You can reach us at briefing@nytimes.com.

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