The morning began with the return of four Israeli hostage bodies by Hamas, including the Bibas family, in what observers noted as a propaganda display. This development was overshadowed by escalating US-Ukraine tensions.
By midday, Russia expressed agreement with Trump's "dictator" characterization of Zelensky, while the Kremlin rejected Starmer's proposed European peacekeeping force as "unacceptable." The afternoon saw US officials instructing Zelensky to "tone down" criticism and accept a $500bn minerals deal, culminating in the cancellation of a planned press conference between Zelensky and US envoys.
Evening developments centered on Trump's "frustration" with Zelensky's reluctance to accept US-brokered peace terms, while the Senate confirmed Trump's FBI nominee Kash Patel. Israel reported narrowly avoiding mass casualties when bus bombs accidentally detonated at night instead of during morning rush hour.