Israel and Hamas set positions ahead of US-led ceasefire talks
Neither side has entirely accepted the deal announced on July 1 by U.S. President Donald Trump. Hamas repeated its long-standing demand: the war in Gaza must completely end as part of any deal.
Trump said Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire and asked Hamas to accept the plan soon, warning that things could get worse if they delay. Trump has been pushing both sides to agree to stop fighting and to free the remaining hostages.
He said the 60 days would be used to work on ending the war, but Israel says it won't agree to peace until Hamas is defeated.
A Hamas spokesperson, Taher al-Nunu, said the group is "ready and serious" about reaching a deal. He said Hamas would accept any plan that clearly leads to a complete end to the war.
A Hamas team is expected to travel to Cairo to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators to discuss the plan. An Egyptian official confirmed this but asked to remain anonymous because he was not allowed to speak to the press.
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have failed many times over disagreements about whether the war should fully end.
On July 2, Hamas confirmed that it had received a new proposal from the mediators and was talking to them to try to reach common ground.
Hamas said it is willing to release the remaining 50 hostages, although fewer than half are believed to be still alive. In return, Hamas wants Israel to pull all its troops out of Gaza and stop the war.
But Israel says the war will only end if Hamas surrenders, gives up its weapons, and leaves Gaza—demands Hamas refuses.
Prime Minister Netanyahu repeated his strong stance: "There will be no Hamas."
An Israeli official said the current proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire, a partial Israeli troop withdrawal, and a significant increase in aid for Gaza. Talks to end the war could take place during this time, but Israel has not promised to agree to peace.
It's unclear how many hostages might be released, but earlier deals suggested around 10 could be freed.
"I'm praying this happens," said Idit Ohel, whose son is one of the hostages. "I hope the world pressures everyone to stop the war and bring the hostages home."
Trump will meet Netanyahu at the White House on Monday.
This week, Trump wrote on social media that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize" the 60-day ceasefire, "during which time we will work with all parties to end the War."
"I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," he said.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich however said this week that he would oppose any agreements that would end the fighting in Gaza.
"I can tell you with all my heart that it won't happen. I'm talking to Netanyahu about it, and I don't get the impression that he's on his way there," Smotrich said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Israel launches airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels, and Houthis launch missile at Israel
This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel's military launched airstrikes early Monday targeting ports and facilities held by Yemen's Houthi rebels, with the rebels responding with missile fire targeting Israel. The attacks came after an attack Sunday targeting a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea that caught fire and took on water, later forcing its crew to abandon the vessel. Suspicion for the attack on the Greek-owned bulk carrier Magic Seas immediately fell on the Houthis, particularly as a security firm said it appeared bomb-carrying drone boats hit the ship after it was targeted by small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. The rebels' media reported on the attack but did not claim it. It can take them hours or even days before they acknowledge an assault. A renewed Houthi campaign against shipping could again draw in U.S. and Western forces to the area, particularly after President Donald Trump targeted the rebels in a major airstrike campaign. The ship attack comes at a sensitive moment in the Middle East, as a possible ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war hangs in the balance and as Iran weighs whether to restart negotiations over its nuclear program following American airstrikes targeting its most-sensitive atomic sites amid an Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also was traveling to Washington to meet with Trump. Israeli strikes target Houthi-held ports The Israeli military said it struck Houthi-held ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa and Salif, as well as the Ras Kanatib power plant. 'These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies,' the Israeli military said. The Israeli military also said it struck the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle-carrying vessel that the Houthis seized back in November 2023 when they began their attacks in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war. 'Houthi forces installed a radar system on the ship and have been using it to track vessels in the international maritime arena to facilitate further terrorist activities,' the Israeli military said. The Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader was affiliated with an Israeli billionaire. It said no Israelis were on board. The ship had been operated by a Japanese firm NYK Line. The Houthis acknowledged the strikes, but offered no damage assessment from the attack. Their military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed its air defense forces 'effectively confronted' the Israelis without offering evidence. The Houthis then responded with an apparent missile attack on Israel. The Israeli military said it attempted to intercept the missile, but it appeared to make impact, though there were no immediate reports of injuries from the attack.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Israel launches airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels, and Houthis launch missile at Israel
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel's military launched airstrikes early Monday targeting ports and facilities held by Yemen's Houthi rebels, with the rebels responding with missile fire targeting Israel. The attacks came after a suspected Houthi attack targeting a ship in the Red Sea that caught fire and took on water, later forcing its crew to abandon the vessel. The Israeli military said it struck Houthi-held ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa and Salif. 'These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies,' the Israeli military said. The Houthis then responded with an apparent missile attack on Israel. The Israeli military said it attempted to intercept the missile, but it appeared to make impact, though there were no immediate reports of injuries from the attack.
Japan Forward
3 hours ago
- Japan Forward
Why is Ishiba Letting Trump Call the Shots in Tariff Talks?
このページを 日本語 で読む There seems to be no end in sight for the Japan-United States tariff negotiations. With such slow progress, President Donald Trump has been stepping up his criticism of Japan. Trump has said that it is "unfair" that US auto exports to Japan are at such a low level and has rebuffed Japan's requests to scrap or reconsider the 25% additional tariffs his administration has slapped on Japanese cars. The President has also complained that the Japanese imports of US rice are insufficient. Trump has been pointing to both of these issues for quite some time. Nevertheless, the reason why he has recently intensified his criticism of Japan by name is likely a desire to shake up Tokyo. He wants to force major concessions from Japan in order to start eliminating the bilateral trade deficit. Of course, the self-righteous US criticism regarding motor vehicle imports is unacceptable. Additionally, Japan imported 346,000 tons of American rice in 2024, more than twice the amount from the next largest external source, Thailand. At the same time, rice production constitutes the foundation of Japan's food security. So there is no need for our nation to blindly comply with US demands for increased imports of American rice. Japan should remain undeterred by Trump's provocative words and actions and continue to negotiate tenaciously. What is worrisome is the fact that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has been out of the picture. Minister Ryosei Akazawa leaves the meeting with Commerce Secretary Robert Lutnick on June 27 in Washington. (©Kyodo) Trump personally calls the shots as to whether the US will revise its tariff measures. The only person who can directly influence this impasse is the Prime Minister. So why is there no sign of Ishiba becoming proactively involved in the negotiations? After agreement could not be reached at the June summit, the parties decided to continue negotiations at the Cabinet minister level. However, leaving the negotiations to Ryosei Akazawa, Minister of State for Economic Revitalization, does not solve the problem. Akazawa is not in a position to negotiate directly with the President. Ishiba has a responsibility as prime minister to protect the national interest. If he just allows Trump to dictate the pace of negotiations, he will be unable to fulfill that responsibility. Currently, the Japan-US tariff talks remain stymied over the additional tariffs on Japanese motor vehicles imported into the United States. That sector is a priority for Japan. Akazawa visited the US at the end of June for the seventh ministerial meeting. However, he was unable to even meet with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is overseeing the US side in the talks. Trump's moratorium on the imposition of additional "reciprocal tariffs" is due to expire on July 9. Yet, no progress has been made in the negotiations, including regarding the possibility of extending the deadline. Prime Minister Ishiba answers reporters' questions on June 22. (©Sankei) Trump unilaterally established that deadline. The US President also mentioned that he might send a letter to Japan ending the negotiations and setting the tariff level. It is problematic that Trump continues to unilaterally impose his will without fairly considering the ministerial-level talks and other input. However, it is also questionable whether the Ishiba administration is capable of managing such Trump-style dealmaking. The Prime Minister must demonstrate the leadership necessary to break the impasse. That, of course, includes arranging a telephone summit with Trump, as well as writing him directly. The time has come for Prime Minister Ishiba to prove his ability. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
