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Wall Street Pauses as Fed Meeting Looms: Futures Hold Steady

U.S. stock futures were little changed on Tuesday as investors awaited the start of the Federal Reserve’s final policy meeting of the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures all hovered near flat, reflecting a cautious mood across Wall Street. The Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged, but traders are focused on Chair Jerome Powell’s comments and the central bank’s updated economic projections. Markets are looking for clues on when rate cuts might begin in 2024, with inflation cooling but still above the Fed’s long-term target. Recent gains in equities have been fueled by optimism that the Fed’s tightening cycle is over, yet uncertainty remains about how quickly monetary policy will shift toward easing. Until then, investors appear content to hold their positions, waiting for clearer signals from the Fed before making bold moves.

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Netanyahu Pushes for Hamas Expulsion Amid UN-Backed Gaza Plan

                                             Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the expulsion of Hamas from the region, just one day after the United Nations Security Council endorsed a U.S.-backed plan aimed at stabilizing Gaza. The plan controversially offers amnesty and safe passage to Hamas members who commit to peace, a provision that Netanyahu’s latest remarks appear to reject.

Netanyahu had previously expressed support for the framework during a visit to the White House in September, but his new statements highlight a growing rift between Jerusalem and Washington over how to resolve the conflict. While the U.S. proposal envisions a transitional authority and international stabilization force to oversee Gaza’s recovery, Netanyahu insists that Hamas must be completely removed to ensure long-term security.

Diplomats note that entrenched positions on both sides have made progress difficult. Hamas has already voiced opposition to several elements of the plan, while Israel’s demand for full demilitarization and disarmament clashes with the amnesty provisions. Despite these tensions, the UN resolution has received broad international support, with most member states backing the initiative as a step toward peace.

Netanyahu’s call for expulsion underscores Israel’s hardline stance and raises questions about the feasibility of implementing the UN-backed plan. Observers suggest that the divergence between U.S. and Israeli priorities could complicate efforts to stabilize Gaza, leaving the future of the region uncertain.


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