Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Hamas frees eight hostages to Israel as talks seek to extend Gaza truce

Hamas on Thursday released eight Israeli hostages in Gaza under a last-minute extension of a truce deal and Israel freed 30 Palestinian prisoners as negotiators sought to renew the pause in fighting again. Israel identified two women who were released first on Thursday as 21-year-old Mia Schem, among those seized at a dance party that Hamas militants attacked on Oct. 7, and 40-year-old Amit Soussana.

Ukraine's Zelenskiy calls for fortifications in key frontline areas

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for faster construction of fortifications in key sectors under pressure from Russian forces, particularly in eastern Ukraine, focal point of Moscow's advances 21 months into its invasion. Zelenskiy issued his appeal after touring Ukrainian positions in the northeast, one of several areas where Russian forces have been trying to make recent headway -- and recapture areas taken back by Ukrainian troops a year ago. He said one of the meetings he held with commanders dealt with fortifications.

North Korea's Kim calls for military readiness against any provocations

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for the military's readiness to respond to any provocation by enemies, state media said on Friday, after Pyongyang vowed to deploy stronger armed forces and new weapons on its border with the South. Visiting the air force headquarters on Thursday to mark the country's air men day, Kim rolled out operational strategic guidelines to improve the military's readiness and war capabilities, KCNA news agency said.

ICC prosecutor to visit Israel at request of Oct. 7 Hamas attack victims

International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan is visiting Israel at the request of Israeli survivors and the families of victims of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks from Gaza, the court said on Thursday. Khan will also visit Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to meet with senior Palestinian officials, the ICC said.

UN Security Council due to vote on lifting arms embargo on Somalia

The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Friday to remove the final restrictions on weapons deliveries to Somalia's government and its security forces, diplomats said, more than 30 years after an arms embargo was first imposed on the country. The council put the embargo on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of weapons to feuding warlords, who had ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged the Horn of Africa country into civil war.

UN Security Council due to vote to close Sudan political mission

The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Friday to end a political mission in war-torn Sudan, diplomats said, after the country's acting foreign minister requested the move earlier this month and described the mission's performance as "disappointing." A war erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces after weeks of rising tension between the two sides over a plan to integrate forces as part of a transition from military rule to civilian democracy.

Two Hamas gunmen open fire at Jerusalem bus stop, killing three

Two Hamas gunmen killed three people at a Jerusalem bus stop during morning rush hour on Thursday, and Israel reiterated its commitment to wiping out the Palestinian Islamist faction, whose Oct. 7 killing spree triggered the Gaza war. The attackers, Palestinians from East Jerusalem, were shot dead by off-duty soldiers and an armed civilian, police said. At least eight people were also wounded in the shooting.

How Qatar swayed Israel and Hamas to make a truce work

As world leaders feted Qatar for brokering a truce between Israel and Hamas last week, its negotiators doubled down on their mediation efforts, fearful the ceasefire was about to collapse before it started. The truce and the agreement for accompanying prisoner and hostage exchanges were loosely worded. The tiny Gulf state's negotiators knew Israel and Hamas had yet to agree on when, or how, the ceasefire and the swap would begin, according to sources in Qatar, the Palestinian Territories and Egypt familiar with the high-stakes talks.

Henry Kissinger, dominant US diplomat of Cold War era, dies aged 100

Henry Kissinger, the most powerful U.S. diplomat of the Cold War era, who helped Washington open up to China, forge arms control deals with the Soviet Union and end the Vietnam War, but who was reviled by critics over human rights, has died aged 100.

Kissinger, a German-born Jewish refugee whose career took him from academia to diplomacy and who remained an active voice in foreign policy into his later years, died at his home in Connecticut on Wednesday, his geopolitical consulting firm, Kissinger Associates, said.

Blinken urges Israel to avoid 'massive' civilian losses in southern Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel's military operations in southern Gaza must not repeat the massive loss of civilian life and displacement seen during its offensive in the north. At a news conference in Tel Aviv following a marathon day of meetings with senior Israeli leaders, Blinken said he laid out clear steps for Israel to minimise civilian casualties but did not say if was assured the steps would be taken.