Hamas postponed the release of more hostages
Hamas has indefinitely delayed the release of Israeli hostages who were set to be freed this weekend, a spokesman for the militants said. The move threatens to derail the six-week truce in Gaza that began last month. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel planned to meet with his security cabinet this morning, a top official said.
President Trump said the cease-fire agreement should be canceled if Hamas didn’t release all remaining Israeli hostages by noon on Saturday — in which case, he said, “all hell is going to break out.” But he acknowledged that the choice was Israel’s to make.
Both Hamas and Israel have accused each other of violating the agreement. In Israel, the gaunt condition of some hostages, and their humiliating handovers, provoked widespread anger. Hamas says Israel has delayed the return of displaced Palestinians, blocked the delivery of some humanitarian aid and opened fire on civilians.
Context: Hamas’s statement about the hostages came after Fox News published a clip in which Trump said Palestinians would not be allowed to return to Gaza under his plan to move them out and develop the strip. Trump said he could cut aid to Jordan and Egypt if they refused to permanently take in most Gazans.
Next steps: A key point of tension between Israel and Hamas is the second phase of the cease-fire deal, which calls for a permanent end to the fighting, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of more hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has suggested that he won’t pursue the second phase if it means an end to the war.
News from the region:
Trump put tariffs on steel and aluminum imports
President Trump signed official proclamations last night that would impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum from all countries.
The same policy pleased domestic metal makers in Trump’s first term, but it hurt other American industries and ignited trade wars on several fronts. The tariffs are likely to rankle allies like Canada and Mexico, which supply the bulk of U.S. metal imports, and they could incite retaliatory tariffs, as they did before.
Analysis: The new tariffs “will probably spark new trade fights with American allies,” said my colleague Ana Swanson, who covers trade. “Steel and aluminum tariffs do really help domestic metal makers,” she added. “But there’s a big trade-off, because they increase costs for other businesses,” including makers of cars, machinery, planes and food packaging.
More on the Trump administration
Elon Musk leads bid to buy OpenAI
A group of investors led by Elon Musk has made a $97.4 billion bid to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, insiders said, escalating a tussle for control of the company between the world’s richest man and OpenAI’s chief executive, Sam Altman.
OpenAI declined to comment on the bid, though Altman posted a response on X, saying, “No thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.” Musk replied, “Swindler.”
Europe: Executives, researchers and government leaders are gathering in Paris for a two-day A.I. summit. Europe wants to keep up with the U.S. and China in the A.I. race, but investors worry about the effects of high taxes and red tape. (In response, the French president has pitched lighter regulation.)
China: Many people in the country see the success of the A.I. start-up DeepSeek as a victory for domestic education, proof that it equals or has surpassed that of the U.S.
MORE TOP NEWS
Many Lebanese citizens have emigrated during times of conflict or disaster. But after looking from afar at images of their battered homeland, some people in this influential diaspora — estimated at nearly three times the size of Lebanon’s population of 5.7 million — have begun trickling back, hoping to offer support.
Lives lived: Gyalo Thondup, the eldest brother of the Dalai Lama and a prominent figure in Tibet, died at 97.
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Recapping New York Fashion Week
Fashion Week comes to an end in New York City today. We spoke to Vanessa Friedman, The Times’s chief fashion critic, about what she saw on, and off, the runway.
What defined this year’s NYFW?
The themes were, predictably, shaped by the current political moment; designers said they had started making their collections in one reality, and after the election, the looks started to change. That meant wrestling with questions of femininity — what does that look like when traditional gender definitions are resurgent? — as well as whether to wear your values on your sleeve (or your runway).
In terms of trends, there were a lot of over-the-knee boots and a lot of fringing. A more polished, tailored kind of sportswear is also staging a return. People want to feel pulled together when so much of life seems out of their control.
What got people talking?
The big news in New York was the return of Calvin Klein to the runway after almost seven years away. Klein defined a certain kind of American minimalism and suiting for decades; the brand is hoping to reclaim that territory and redefine American style under new designer Veronica Leoni. Her show was pretty loyal to the heritage — too loyal, really — but it did feel like the beginning of a new era.
What are you anticipating from the rest of the season?
The big shows will take place in Paris, where some major brands are now under the direction of new designers: Sarah Burton at Givenchy, and Haider Ackermann at Tom Ford. There will be a lot of front-row gossip in Milan about who will get the top job at Gucci, since they fired their designer last week. I am also curious as to whether the corset, which was, somewhat disturbingly, the ubiquitous garment during the couture shows in January, makes a reappearance during ready-to-wear.
