logo
Netanyahu says Trump meeting could 'advance' Gaza deal ahead of Doha talks

Netanyahu says Trump meeting could 'advance' Gaza deal ahead of Doha talks

CNAa day ago
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday (Jul 6) that he hoped an upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump could "help advance" a Gaza ceasefire deal, after sending negotiators to Doha for indirect talks with Hamas.
Under mounting pressure to end the war, now approaching its 22nd month, the Israeli premier is scheduled to sit down on Monday with Trump, who has recently made a renewed push to end the fighting.
Speaking before boarding Israel's state jet bound for Washington, Netanyahu said: "We are working to achieve this deal that we have discussed, under the conditions that we have agreed to."
He added he had dispatched the team to Doha "with clear instructions", and thought the meeting with Trump "can definitely help advance this (deal), which we are all hoping for".
Netanyahu had previously said Hamas's response to a draft US-backed ceasefire proposal contained "unacceptable" demands.
A Palestinian official familiar with the talks and close to Hamas said international mediators had informed the group that "a new round of indirect negotiations... will begin in Doha today".
The talks would focus on conditions for a possible ceasefire, including hostage and prisoner releases, and Hamas would also seek the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing to evacuate the wounded, the official told AFP.
Hamas's delegation, led by its top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, was in Doha, the official told AFP. Israel's public broadcaster said the country's delegation had left for the Qatari capital in the early afternoon.
Qatar's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the indirect negotiations had begun.
'Enough blood'
Two Palestinian sources close to the discussions told AFP the proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.
However, they said, the group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel's withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system.
On the ground, Gaza's civil defence agency reported 26 people were killed by Israeli forces on Sunday.
It said 10 were killed in a pre-dawn strike on Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, where AFP images showed Palestinians searching through the debris for survivors with their bare hands.
"The rest of the family is still under the rubble," Sheikh Radwan resident Osama al-Hanawi told AFP.
"We are losing young people, families and children every day, and this must stop now. Enough blood has been shed."
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency.
Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it could not comment on specific strikes without precise coordinates.
Since Hamas's October 2023 attack sparked the massive Israeli offensive in Gaza, mediators have brokered two temporary halts in the fighting during which hostages were freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.
Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Recent efforts to broker a new truce have repeatedly failed, with the primary point of contention being Israel's rejection of Hamas's demand for a lasting ceasefire.
'Dying for flour'
The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip.
Karima al-Ras, from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, said "we hope that a truce will be announced" to allow in more aid.
"People are dying for flour," she said.
A US- and Israel-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, took the lead in food distribution in the territory in late May, when Israel partially lifted a more than two-month blockade on aid deliveries.
UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.
The UN human rights office said last week that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points.
The Gaza health ministry on Sunday placed the toll even higher, at 751 killed.
Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,418 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Malaysia braces for shake-up in supply chains in wake of US tariffs
Malaysia braces for shake-up in supply chains in wake of US tariffs

Straits Times

time33 minutes ago

  • Straits Times

Malaysia braces for shake-up in supply chains in wake of US tariffs

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Malaysia's Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry said in a statement that it maintains an independent foreign and economic policy. PETALING JAYA - Global and local supply chains are set for a major reshuffle, regardless of whether the United States under President Donald Trump moves ahead with new tariffs, according to economists. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the government has done their due diligence and scenario-building exercise in anticipation of the tariff announcement by the United States. 'US President Donald Trump's tariff is beyond the government's control,' he said on July 7. 'Therefore, they need to be pragmatic on how best to deal with such a problem.' The government, added Mr Mohd Afzanizam, remains non-partisan but is also exploring all possible opportunities following the upcoming US tariff policy. 'I suppose there will be reconfiguration of the supply chain, and the Covid-19 shocks have taught us well about over-­concentration of the supply chain,' he said, adding that the reconfiguration of the supply chain will happen with or without the US tariff. 'The way we see it, the US tariff would accelerate the need to reconfigure the business supply chains.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World 25% on Japan and Malaysia, 40% on Laos: Trump's tariff letters to Asia add pressure for deals by Aug 1 Business Asia markets brace for renewed tariff fallout World Netanyahu says he nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize Opinion Singapore at 60: Home truly is an idea that never stands still Multimedia 'I suspect he's cheating': She finds proof when spouses stray Singapore Fastest charger to be added to Singapore's EV charging network by Q4 in 2025 Singapore Singapore's second mufti Sheikh Syed Isa Semait dies at age 87 Singapore Competition watchdog gives SIA, Malaysia Airlines conditional approval to continue cooperation On July 4, Mr Trump said the US government will start sending out letters with details of higher tariff rates that will take effect on Aug 1. Mr Trump said as many as 12 letters will be sent out over the coming days, and the levies will range from '60 or 70 per cent tariffs to 10 to 20 per cent tariffs', but did not name the countries due to receive them. So far, semi-conductors are exempt from tariffs, but Mr Trump has threatened levies on them several times, and that uncertainty is making it difficult for businesses to plan for the future. Mr Trump has also threatened to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning themselves with the 'Anti-American policies' of the Brics group of developing nations, whose leaders kicked off a summit in Brazil on Sunday. Economist Geoffrey Williams said Malaysia could face both direct and indirect impacts should tariff talks fail. 'Directly, there may be some effects on exports to the United States, especially with semiconductors largely excluded,' he said. 'Indirectly, if other countries are belligerent, then global trade disruption could hit Malaysia's already-squeezed net trade.' While total trade and exports are rising, Malaysia's net trade has been on a downward trend since August 2023. 'Any further decline will weigh on the 2025 economic outlook,' Dr Williams said. Malaysia's electronics sector may remain relatively insulated, but other industries could be forced to adapt to maintain competitiveness. Dr Williams added that Malaysia should avoid taking sides in any US-Asia trade conflict and instead pursue diverse partnerships. 'The smartest policy is to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Let consumers decide.' He also called on the government to clearly state where negotiations stand. 'If Malaysia receives a letter in the coming days, the response must be swift and positive. Be smart in the negotiations, not belligerent,' he added. Sunway University economics professor Dr Yeah Kim Leng said the additional 10 per cent on top of the 24 per cent reciprocal tariff, currently under negotiation, will likely raise the price of Malaysian goods imported into the United States. 'It will cause a supply or price shock to US importers as the latter will have to bear the tariffs.' Meanwhile, the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry in a statement said Malaysia maintains an independent foreign and economic policy. 'Our engagement with any multilateral platform is focused on trade facilitation and sustainable development, guided by national interest, not ideological alignment,' it said. 'The US remains one of Malaysia's key economic partners, not only through trade but also through the multi-billion dollar American investments that have been established in Malaysia for more than 50 years.' On April 2, Mr Trump announced his Liberation Day tariff package, imposing staggeringly high tariffs on the entire world, including 20 per cent or higher tariffs on major US trading partners. A week later, he paused some of these tariffs. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Netanyahu says any future Palestinian state would be a platform to destroy Israel
Netanyahu says any future Palestinian state would be a platform to destroy Israel

Straits Times

timean hour ago

  • Straits Times

Netanyahu says any future Palestinian state would be a platform to destroy Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a bilateral dinner held by U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured), at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque WASHINGTON - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he wanted peace with Palestinians but described any future independent state as a platform to destroy Israel and for that reason sovereign power of security must remain with Israel. Speaking at the White House, where he met U.S. President Donald Trump, Netanyahu described the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, where Hamas was in control, as evidence of what Palestinians would do with a state. Trump said, "I don't know" when he was asked by reporters if a two-state solution was possible and referred the question to Netanyahu. Netanyahu said: 'After October 7th, people said the Palestinians have a state, a Hamas state in Gaza and look what they did with it. They didn't build it up. They built down into bunkers, into terror tunnels after which they massacred our people, raped our women, beheaded our men, invaded our cities and our towns, our kibbutzim and did horrendous massacres, the kind of which we didn't see since World War Two and the Nazis, the Holocaust. So people aren't likely to say, 'Let's just give them another state.' It'll be a platform to destroy Israel. "We will work out a peace with our Palestinian neighbours, those who don't want to destroy us and we will work out a peace in which our security, the sovereign power of security, always remains in our hands," Netanyahu said. "Now people will say, 'It's not a complete state, it's not a state, it's not that.' We don't care. We vowed never again. Never again is now. It's not going to happen again.' Palestinians have long sought to create an independent state in the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem through a U.S.-mediated peace process. Many accuse Israel of having destroyed Palestinian statehood prospects through increased settlement building in the West Bank and by levelling much of Gaza during the current war. Israel rejects this. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World 25% on Japan and Malaysia, 40% on Laos: Trump's tariff letters to Asia add pressure for deals by Aug 1 Business US stocks knocked lower by tariff jitters; Musk's political plan hits Tesla World Netanyahu says he has nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize Singapore Fastest charger to be added to Singapore's EV charging network by Q4 in 2025 Singapore Singapore's second mufti Sheikh Syed Isa Semait dies at age 87 Singapore Fewer marriages in Singapore in 2024; greater marital stability for recent unions Singapore Competition watchdog gives SIA, Malaysia Airlines conditional approval to continue cooperation Singapore Eligible S'poreans to get up to $850 in GSTV cash, up to $450 in MediSave top-ups in August Cabinet ministers in Netanyahu's Likud party called last week for Israel to annex the Israeli-occupied West Bank before the Knesset recesses at the end of July. Israel's pro-settler politicians have been emboldened by the return to the White House of Trump, who has proposed Palestinians leave Gaza, a suggestion widely condemned across the Middle East and beyond. The Gaza war erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Some 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive. Israel's subsequent assault on the Palestinian enclave has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. Most of Gaza's population has been displaced by the war. Trump hosted Netanyahu at a White House dinner on Monday, while Israeli officials held indirect negotiations with Hamas in Qatar aimed at securing a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal. REUTERS

Oil prices ease as traders assess US tariffs, OPEC+ output hike
Oil prices ease as traders assess US tariffs, OPEC+ output hike

CNA

timean hour ago

  • CNA

Oil prices ease as traders assess US tariffs, OPEC+ output hike

Oil prices eased on Tuesday after rising almost 2 per cent in the previous session, as investors assessed new developments on U.S. tariffs and a higher-than-expected OPEC+ output hike for August. Brent crude futures dropped 21 cents at $69.37 a barrel by 0041 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 24 cents at $67.69 a barrel. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday began telling trade partners, which included major suppliers South Korea and Japan as well as smaller U.S. exporters like Serbia, Thailand and Tunisia, that sharply higher U.S. tariffs will start August 1, marking a new phase in the trade war he launched earlier this year. Trump's tariffs have prompted uncertainty across the market and concerns they could have a negative effect on the global economy and, consequently, on oil demand. However, there are some signs current demand remains strong, particularly in the U.S., the world's biggest oil consumer, which has supported prices. A record 72.2 million Americans were projected to travel more than 50 miles (80 km) for Fourth of July vacations, data from travel group AAA showed last week. Investors were bullish heading into the holiday period with data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission released on Monday showing money managers raised their net-long futures and options positions in crude oil contracts in the week up to July 1. Regarding supplies, on Saturday the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, a group known as OPEC+, agreed to raise production by 548,000 barrels per day in August, exceeding the 411,000-bpd hikes they made for the prior three months. The decision removes nearly all of the 2.2 million-bpd of voluntary cuts and analysts at Goldman Sachs expect OPEC+ to announce a final 550,000-bpd increase for September at the next meeting on August 3. However, the actual output increase has been smaller than the announced levels so far and most of the supply has been from Saudi Arabia, analysts said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store