Day 2 of Gaza ceasefire talks concludes in Egypt

The second day of the latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks between the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, concluded on Tuesday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Sources described the talks as difficult and complicated, with Hamas warning Israel not to undermine the peace efforts.

According to sources close to the negotiations, the second day of this round of talks focused on key issues including Israeli troop withdrawal routes and the release of Israelis held captive in Gaza. Hamas insisted that any release must occur simultaneously with a complete Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and demanded international guarantees for a permanent ceasefire.

A source close to Hamas revealed that the group has not yet responded to several conditions Israel deems essential for a comprehensive truce, particularly those concerning Hamas's disarmament and the future governance of Gaza.

The technical teams are currently examining detailed maps submitted by the Israeli delegation outlining the areas from which the Israeli army would withdraw, as well as lists of Palestinian prisoners slated for release. In a statement on Tuesday marking the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, with 251 others taken hostage, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that the movement is committed to overcoming all obstacles to reach an agreement that fulfills the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

He specifically warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against attempts to obstruct or undermine this round of negotiations.

Meanwhile, Egyptian mediators are intensifying efforts to help bridge differences between the parties.

Qatar, Türkiye, and the United States have sent delegations to Sharm el-Sheikh, with all parties scheduled to continue talks on Wednesday.

China's outstanding aggregate social financing -- the total amount of financing to the real economy -- reached 442.12 trillion yuan (about 63.4 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of 2025, up 8.3 percent year on year, central bank data showed on Thursday.

The country's aggregate social financing stood at 35.6 trillion yuan (about 5.1 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2025, up by 3.34 trillion yuan (about 479 billion U.S. dollars) from the year 2024, said the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank.

According to the data, the M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, increased 8.5 percent year on year to 340.29 trillion yuan (about 48.8 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of December.

In addition, outstanding yuan loans stood at 271.91 trillion yuan (about 39 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of 2025, up 6.4 percent year on year.