The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel have reported positive progress towards a possible ceasefire recently, as the two sides took active actions to move closer to a truce in the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday, Israel and Hamas began a new round of indirect negotiations in Doha, Qatar, regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of detainees.
On Wednesday evening, Hamas issued a statement expressing its desire to reach a comprehensive agreement on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, agreeing to release 10 Israeli detainees.
The core issues remain under negotiation.
According to a report by The Times of Israel on Wednesday, Israel submitted a new proposal for a partial withdrawal of troops from the Gaza Strip.
The report said that Hamas had rejected Israel's previous withdrawal plan, which was one of the main sticking points in the talks. The new proposal has brought the two sides closer to an agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the latest round of ceasefire talks in Doha had made progress, during a meeting with families of Israeli detainees in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening.
It remains unclear what specific progress Netanyahu was referring to.
Additionally, a senior Israeli official said that Israel and Hamas might reach an agreement on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange within one to two weeks, though the process would not be completed quickly.
The official added that if Israel and Hamas agree to a proposed 60-day ceasefire, negotiations for a permanent truce could continue during this period. However, Israel demands that Hamas disarm, and if Hamas refuses, Israel will resume military operations.
On Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressed to the United States his hope that the Palestinian side could participate in negotiations over the ceasefire and detainee releases.
Abbas stated that Palestine should be included at the negotiating table, particularly in discussions on long-term security arrangements, as it may take over or administer parts of Gaza in the future.
The U.S. side has not yet formally responded to Abbas' request.
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday that unresolved issues in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks had been reduced from four to one, raising hopes for a temporary truce agreement this week.
Hamas, Israel report positive progress toward possible ceasefire
China's stock market demonstrated robust performance in 2025 with new records in various sectors.
Against the backdrop of global liquidity easing and evolving industrial policies, the A-share market experienced a landmark year. Multiple key metrics - including total market capitalization, trading volume, as well as margin trading and short selling balances - achieved historic breakthroughs, demonstrating remarkable vitality and resilience.
In terms of overall performance, as of Dec. 31, 2025, the total market capitalization of A-shares reached approximately 118.91 trillion yuan, marking a net increase of 25.30 trillion yuan from the year's opening level of 93.61 trillion yuan. This represents a growth rate of 27.03 percent, according to data from financial information provider Wind.
In 2025, major A-share indices extended their annual gains compared to 2024.
On Dec. 31, 2025, the Shanghai Composite Index stood at 3,968.84 points, marking an annual increase of 18.41 percent - the largest annual gain since 2020. The Shenzhen Component Index rose 29.87 percent for the year, while the ChiNext Index surged 49.57 percent. The Beijing Stock Exchange 50 Index recorded an annual gain of 38.80 percent, while the STAR Market 50 Index rose 35.92 percent for the year.
As major indices rose, market trading activity intensified. Throughout 2025, the A-share market recorded a total trading value of approximately 420 trillion yuan, marking a growth of over 60 percent compared to the previous year and nearly doubling the 2023 annual value. It also marked the first time in history that the annual trading value surpassed the 400 trillion yuan threshold.
The margin trading and short selling scale in the A-share market expanded rapidly in 2025. As of the year end, the outstanding margin trading and short selling balance in the A-share market increased by 690.7 billion yuan during the year to reach 2.5 trillion yuan, setting a new historical high.
Notably, the growth in the balance was primarily driven by the increase in the financing balance. Although the short selling balance also increased in 2025, its cumulative growth for the year was less than 10 billion yuan, with the absolute value of the short selling balance remaining at a low level in recent years.
As market sentiment continued to heat up, major sectors in the A-share market saw increases. Key industry sectors rose to varying degrees, with over half posting annual increases exceeding 30 percent.
Boosted by sharp rises in precious metal prices, the nonferrous metals sector delivered standout performance throughout 2025. Defense and military, telecommunications, machinery and equipment, automotive, power equipment, and electronics sectors also ranked among the top annual gainers. Sectors like food and beverages, coal, and banking showed relatively weaker annual performance but still managed modest gains.
Against the backdrop of a broad market rally, individual stocks also rose, with many delivering standout performances. Data indicates that over 4,200 A-shares saw price increases in 2025, accounting for more than three-quarters of the total. Specifically, after excluding newly listed stocks, over 500 A-shares still doubled in value, with more than 100 stocks achieving annual gains exceeding 200 percent.
China's stock market demonstrates strong performance with multiple new records in 2025
