Page 11 - Hamas

Israel accepts proposal to bridge impasse, Hamas must do same: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences holding up a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, and he called on Hamas to do the same, without saying whether the latest draft had addressed concerns cited by the militant group. The high-stakes negotiations have gained speed in recent days as diplomats hope an agreement will deter Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah from avenging the targeted killings of two top militants that were blamed on Israel. The escalating tensions have raised fears of an even more destructive regional war. Blinken spoke after holding a 2 1/2 hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day, and will travel to Egypt and Qatar for further negotiations. The three mediators have spent months trying to end the war in Gaza, with the talks repeatedly stalling. In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel supports the bridgin

Record number of aid workers killed in 2023, this year may be worse: UN

A record number of aid workers were killed in conflicts around the world last year more than half after the Israel-Hamas war started on October 7 -- and this year may become even deadlier, the United Nations said on Monday. The 280 aid workers from 33 countries killed in 2023 was more than double the previous year's figure of 118, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs known as OCHA said in a report on World Humanitarian Day. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted that honouring the humanitarians killed in the deadliest year on record is not enough. In Sudan and many other places, aid workers are attacked, killed, injured and abducted. We demand an end to impunity so that perpetrators face justice, the UN chief said. OCHA said this year may be on track for an even deadlier outcome, with 172 aid workers killed as of August 7, according to a provisional account from the Aid Worker Security Database. More than 280 aid workers have been killed in the war i

US Secretary Blinken warns Israel, Hamas of last chance to end Gaza war

The talks in Qatar last week paused without a breakthrough, but the negotiations are to resume this week based on a US "bridging proposal".

Israel, Hamas accuse each other for impeding cease-fire & hostage deal

Mediators say the current round of negotiations have brought the two sides closest to an official pause in fighting in months

Mideast mediators preparing for ceasefire deal in advance: US official

In a sign that mediators believe a Gaza cease-fire deal is imminent, a US official said Friday that Mideast negotiators are working out logistics for the potential release of hostages and distribution of aid as part of any agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war. The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity in keeping with rules set by the White House, said the proposal currently on the table basically bridges every gap between Israel and Hamas and mediators were making preparations before a final deal is approved. It was unclear what measures were being taken, but the official said a new implementation cell was being established in Cairo in advance. The cell would focus on logistics, including freeing hostages, providing humanitarian aid for Gaza and ensuring that the terms of the pact are met, the official said. The comments came hours after mediators expressed hope that a deal was within reach. They said two days of talks had wrapped up in Qatar and that they plan

Two-day talks wrapped up, say mediators to Gaza war ceasefire talks

Mediators to the Gaza War cease-fire talks said Friday the two-day talks wrapped up and they aim to reconvene in Cairo next week to seal a deal to stop the fighting. In a statement on Friday, the United States, Egypt and Qatar said talks were constructive and conducted in a positive atmosphere. They presented both parties with a proposal and hope to continue working on the details of the implementation in the coming days. The new round of talks began Thursday and were aimed at halting the 10-month war and securing the release of scores of hostages, with a potential deal seen as the best hope of heading off an even larger regional conflict. Hamas, which didn't participate directly in the talks, accuses Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had US and international support and to which Hamas had agreed in principle. Both sides have agreed in principle to the plan President Joe Biden announced on May 31. But Hamas has proposed amendments and Israel has suggested ...

Biden optimistic about ceasefire, hostage deal between Israel and Hamas

US President Joe Biden was optimistic Friday about the prospects for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, saying we are closer than we've ever been to an agreement. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after two days of talks wrapped up in Doha with an agreement to continue negotiations next week, Biden said I don't want to jinx anything but that a ceasefire was Much, much closer than it was three days ago. It would not be the first time in the 10-month-old war that Biden has expressed optimism that an agreement could be reached, only for talks between the parties to break down. We may have something, Biden said Friday. But we're not there yet.

Families of hostages in Gaza hope cease-fire talks will end their nightmare

Some families of hostages held in Gaza believe the latest round of cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas could be the last best chance to set their loved ones free after more than 300 days of captivity. The families have advocated tirelessly to secure the release of their relatives, who were snatched on Oct. 7 during Hamas' cross-border attack that started the war. Their hope that the latest talks could result in a breakthrough is tinged by 10 months of disappointment - and the growing fear of a wider Mideast war as Israel faces rising tensions with Iran and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon. Roughly 110 hostages remain in Gaza after about 100 were freed during a brief cease-fire in late November. More than 40,000 Palestinians have died in the war, according to Gaza health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants. Throughout the war, the families of hostages have pushed on with anguish and despair, rallying Israelis to their cau

New Gaza ceasefire talks start in Qatar, hope to head off a wider war

A new round of peace talks aimed at ending the Gaza war started on Thursday, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby said. The United States, Qatar and Egypt met with an Israeli delegation in Qatar as the Palestinian death toll from the 10-month-old war climbed past 40,000, according to Gaza health authorities. International mediators were set to hold a new round of talks Thursday aimed at halting the Israel-Hamas war and securing the release of scores of hostages, with a potential deal seen as the best hope of heading off an even larger regional conflict. The United States, Qatar and Egypt were to meet with an Israeli delegation in Qatar as the Palestinian death toll from the 10-month-old war climbed past 40,000, according to local health authorities. Hamas, which is not expected to participate directly, accuses Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had US and international support and to which Hamas had agreed in principle. A cease-fire in Gaza wo

More than 40,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, says city's health ministry

The Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war. Thursday's announcement comes during new efforts to broker a cease-fire to the conflict, now in its 11th month. The count does not distinguish between civilians and militants. It reflects the magnitude of Israel's offensive in Gaza, one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history. The war began October 7 after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and dragging roughly 250 hostages to Gaza. International mediators were set to hold a new round of talks Thursday aimed at halting the Israel-Hamas war and securing the release of scores of hostages, with a potential deal seen as the best hope of heading off an even larger regional conflict. The United States, Qatar and Egypt were to meet with an Israeli delegation in Qatar as the Palestinian death toll from the 10-month-old war nears 40,000, according to local health authorities. Hama

DP World's half-year profits fall nearly 60%, partly over Red Sea attacks

Dubai-based port operator DP World reported on Thursday its half-year profits fell by nearly 60 per cent, in part over the ongoing attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels over the Israel-Hamas war that have affected shipping through the Red Sea. DP World reported profits of USD 265 million this year, down from USD 651 million the same time last year. DP World Group's chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, acknowledged that the Red Sea disruptions affected the firm's revenues. The year 2024 has been marked by a deteriorating geopolitical environment and disruptions to global supply chains due to the Red Sea crisis, he said in a statement included in the results. While the near-term trading outlook remains uncertain due to macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds, the resilient financial performance of the first half ... positions us well to deliver stable full year adjusted" profits. Bin Sulayem did not elaborate on what specific effects the Houthi attacks had been having on DP World,

Losing faith in US as mediator in Gaza cease-fire talks: Top Hamas official

A top Hamas official said the Palestinian militant group is losing faith in the United States' ability to mediate a cease-fire in Gaza ahead of a new round of talks scheduled for this week amid mounting pressure to bring an end to the 10-month-old war with Israel. Osama Hamdan told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday that Hamas will only participate if the talks focus on implementing a proposal detailed by US President Joe Biden in May and endorsed internationally. The US referred to it as an Israeli proposal and Hamas agreed to it in principle, but Israel said Biden's speech was not entirely consistent with the proposal itself. Both sides later proposed changes, leading each to accuse the other of obstructing a deal. Hamas is especially resistant to Israel's demand that it maintain a lasting military presence in two strategic areas of Gaza after any cease-fire, conditions only made public in recent weeks. We have informed the mediators that...any meeting should be based o

Losing faith in US as mediator in ceasefire talks, says top Hamas official

A top Hamas official said the Palestinian militant group is losing faith in the United States' ability to mediate a cease-fire in Gaza ahead of a new round of talks scheduled for this week amid mounting pressure to bring an end to the 10-month-old war with Israel. Osama Hamdan told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday that Hamas will only participate if the talks focus on implementing a proposal detailed by US President Joe Biden in May and endorsed internationally. The US referred to it as an Israeli proposal and Hamas agreed to it in principle, but Israel said that Biden's speech was not entirely consistent with the proposal itself. Both sides later proposed changes, leading each to accuse the other of obstructing a deal. Hamas is especially resistant to Israel's demand that it maintain a lasting military presence in two strategic areas of Gaza after any cease-fire, conditions that were only made public in recent weeks. We have informed the mediators that...any meeting ..

A new round of Gaza cease-fire talks is starting. Why is a deal so elusive?

International mediators are hoping to kickstart stalled cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas with a new round of talks meant to finally clinch a deal between the sides. But the chances of a breakthrough appear slim. The new talks are set to begin Thursday, but Israel and Hamas have been mulling an internationally-backed proposal for more than two months that would wind down the 10-month-long war and free the roughly 110 hostages still held in Gaza. The indirect talks have not advanced substantively during that time and sticking points remain. New terms put forward have complicated progress. And Hamas has yet to say outright whether it will participate in the new round. Meanwhile, the fighting in Gaza rages on, the hostages continue to languish in captivity, and fears of an all-out regional war involving Iran and one of its regional proxies, Hezbollah, have surged. The killing of Hamas' top leader in Tehran in an apparent Israeli attack further plunged the talks into ...

10 months & counting: How long will Israel-Hamas war last? Fitch has answer

Gaza war: The leaders of France, Germany, and Britain have jointly endorsed the latest efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to broker an agreement to end the 10-month Israel-Hamas war

Anti-terror tech group flags Hamas content on Musk's X, raises concerns

Members of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) believe the group's credibility is undermined by X's membership and position on its board

Israel broadens its evacuation orders after deadly strike on Gaza shelter

The Israeli military ordered more evacuations in southern Gaza early Sunday after a deadly airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in the north killed at least 80 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. Israel said it targeted a militant command post, killing at least 19 fighters. Israel has repeatedly ordered mass evacuations as its troops have returned to heavily destroyed areas where they had previously battled Palestinian militants. The vast majority of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people have been displaced by the 10-month old war, often multiple times. Hundreds of thousands have crammed into squalid tent camps with few public services or sought shelter in schools like the one struck on Saturday. Palestinians say nowhere in the besieged territory feels safe. The latest evacuation orders apply to areas in Khan Younis, including part of an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone from which the military said rockets had been fired. Israel accuses Hamas and other militants

Israel confirms killing 19 terrorists, denies wider casualty claims

The 19 terrorists confirmed killed were affiliated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The IDF released an infographic identifying each of the 19 killed and their affiliations

After blocking access for over a week, Turkey lifts curbs on Instagram

Turkey reinstated access to Instagram on Saturday night, after more than a week of being blocked nationwide. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority barred access to Instagram on August 2 without providing a specific reason. Government officials later said the ban was imposed because the social media platform failed to abide by Turkish laws. In our talks with Instagram officials, we were assured our requests would be met, especially those regarding criminal activity, and given a promise that we would work together on a means of censoring users, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Turkey's transportation and infrastructure minister wrote on the social media platform X Saturday. Uraloglu elaborated in a video also posted on X, saying that the platform was to establish compliance with Turkish law and that in instances where the law was violated, there would be quick and effective intervention. He added that all accounts owned by terrorist organizations would be banned and all conten

Three suspected Houthi attacks target a ship off Yemen: US authorities

Three suspected attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait linking the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, including one that saw private security guards shoot and destroy a bomb-loaded drone boat, authorities said Friday. The Houthis did not immediately claim the assaults, though they follow a monthslong campaign by the rebels targeting shipping through the Red Sea corridor over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. After a recent two-week pause, their attacks resumed following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, amid concerns of a wider regional war. Iran backs the Houthis as part of what it calls a regional Axis of Resistance. The operations are ongoing our operations toward occupied Palestine to target the Israeli enemy, our operations at sea, the inevitable forthcoming response, as well as coordination with the axis in any joint operations, warned the Houthi's secretive leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, in a speech ...