Gaza ceasefire could happen by end of week: Witkoff
Witkoff expressed hope that by the end of the week, an agreement could be finalized that would establish a 60-day ceasefire, adding that the deal includes the release of 10 living Israeli captives and the return of 9 bodies over the course of the 60-day period.
The latest round of negotiations comes as Netanyahu prepares to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington later Monday. Trump, who has publicly pushed for a Gaza deal in recent weeks, expressed optimism earlier in the day: 'There's a good chance we have a deal with Hamas... during the coming week,' he told reporters.
Netanyahu echoed this sentiment before departing Tel Aviv, stating the meeting with Trump could 'definitely help advance this' agreement. He added that "Israel's" negotiation team in Doha had been given 'clear instructions' to reach a deal, though 'under the conditions that we have agreed to.'
Those conditions remain a sticking point. While the US-backed proposal includes a 60-day truce and a prisoner exchange, 10 living captives and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, the Palestinian Resistance is reportedly demanding additional guarantees. These include assurances that fighting will not resume during ongoing talks, a framework for Israeli military withdrawal, the return of a UN-led aid distribution system, and, increasingly, unfettered humanitarian access into Gaza, guarantees Israeli officials have previously dismissed as 'unacceptable.'
Crucially, Hamas has demanded that any agreement must include an end to Israeli aggression, a full military withdrawal from Gaza, and unobstructed humanitarian access, objectives it has described as necessary for justice and Palestinian self-determination.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nahar Net
3 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Barrack says Trump wants prosperity in Lebanon, US can't guarantee Israel's actions
by Naharnet Newsdesk 21 July 2025, 13:20 Visiting U.S. envoy Tom Barrack met Monday with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and is scheduled to meet later in the day with political and religious leaders, and on Tuesday with Speaker Nabih Berri. Speaking to reporters after his talks with Aoun and Salam, Barrack said he returned to Lebanon because U.S. President Donald Trump is interested in reaching 'regional stability' and that Lebanon is the 'center of that process.' Noting that the U.S. wants 'security' and 'economic prosperity' in Lebanon, Barrack pointed out that the U.S. cannot 'compel' Israel to do or not do 'anything.' 'We're here to use our influence to bring calm minds together to come to a conclusion. The U.S. has no business in trying to compel Israel to do anything,' the U.S. envoy added. Barrack also said that the Lebanon-Israel cessation of hostilities agreement "didn't work," while noting that Hezbollah's disarmament is a "very internal" issue in Lebanon. He added that if it didn't happen it would be "disappointing." Moreover, Barrack said the U.S. is not trying to threaten the Lebanese and that it is not thinking of slapping sanctions on Lebanese officials. The U.S. does not want to "add more logs to the fire," he said. 'There's no consequence, there's no threat, there's no whip, we're here on a voluntary basis trying to usher in a solution," he added. "Your leaders have been more than helpful," he said on his second visit to Beirut this month, adding that "the reforms that are happening... are amazingly plausible and significant." The Presidency meanwhile said that Aoun handed Barrack, in the name of the Lebanese state, a "draft comprehensive memo for the implementation of everything that Lebanon has pledged -- from the November 27, 2024 declaration to the Lebanese government's ministerial statement to especially the president's inaugural speech.' The draft emphasized the need to extend state authority to the entire country, restrict the bearing of weapons to the army and ensure "decisions of war and peace" rest with Lebanese constitutional authorities, according to the Presidency statement. Barrack's visit to Lebanon comes amid ongoing domestic and international pressure for Hezbollah to give up its remaining arsenal after a bruising war with Israel that ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement in November. Israel has continued to launch near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon that it says are aimed at stopping Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities. On Friday, Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said his group was not ready to lay down its arms before an "existential threat" to Lebanon comes to an end, adding that "we will not surrender to Israel." The U.S. "disarmament plan now, at this stage ... is for Israel," Qassem said. "We are ready for any action that leads to a Lebanese understanding... but for Israel and America, we will not do this under any type of threat," he said.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Over 70 killed waiting for aid in Gaza, Barrack returns to Beirut: Everything you need to know this Monday
Want to get the Morning Brief by email? Click here to sign July 21, by Abbas key things to watch today:Diplomatic meetings following U.S. envoy Tom Barrack's return to Lebanon, with a focus on Hezbollah disarmament talks and the U.S.-backed roadmap for phased weapons after the imposed cease-fire in Sweida, including humanitarian conditions, local security shifts, and government response Army reinforcements in Rmeish amid continued Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.2 p.m.: Joint meeting between the municipal offices of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement. More than 70 killed in Gaza aid queue, attacks expand as new truce deal stirs: A new truce deal reportedly bridging gaps between Hamas and Israel's disagreements was set to be reviewed by Hamas this weekend, Axios...
LBCI
15 hours ago
- LBCI
Lebanese army confronts Israeli forces over border violation in southern Lebanon
The Lebanese army said Sunday that Israeli military and engineering vehicles crossed the technical fence and began bulldozing land in the outskirts of Rmeish, in the Bint Jbeil district, in what it called a blatant violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement. In a statement, the army said it responded by reinforcing its presence in the area opposite the Israeli forces. A patrol from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) also arrived to document the breach, prompting the Israeli troops to retreat back across the border. The army added that it is closely monitoring the situation along the southern border in coordination with UNIFIL.
