Hamas responds to US-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal in ‘a positive spirit'
US President Donald Trump had earlier announced a 'final proposal' for a 60-day ceasefire in the almost 21-month-old war between Israel and Hamas, stating he anticipated a reply from the parties in coming hours.
Hamas wrote on its official website: 'The Hamas movement has completed its internal consultations as well as discussions with Palestinian factions and forces regarding the latest proposal by the mediators to halt the aggression against our people in Gaza.
'The movement has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterised by a positive spirit. Hamas is fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework.'
In a sign of potential challenges still facing the sides, a Palestinian official of a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing to Egypt and clarity over a timetable of Israeli troop withdrawals.
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Trump said on Tuesday that Israel had agreed 'to the necessary conditions to finalise' a 60-day ceasefire, during which efforts would be made to end the US ally's war in the Palestinian enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, has yet to comment on Trump's announcement, and in their public statements the two sides remain far apart. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group, which is thought to be holding 20 living hostages, has so far refused to discuss.
Israeli media cited an Israeli official as saying Israel had received and was looking into Hamas' response to the ceasefire proposal.
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The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
Thugs who perform violence over distant atrocities have no place here
A succession of arrivals from the Balkans, Asia, Africa, South and Central America and elsewhere have in the main managed to go about building worthy lives in increasingly multicultural Australia without taking revenge in the streets for old hostilities and often terrible injustices, too. But today, real thugs, observing no such limits and wearing the false cloak of legitimate protest, are being hunted by police after trying to set fire to a Melbourne synagogue where parents and children were gathered, and a real mob was filmed invading a restaurant and terrorising patrons. The targets of Friday night's attacks were obviously chosen for the singular reason that they were presumed to be Jewish, though many in the restaurant, it happens, were not. The excuse? The war in the Middle East, of course, where the Israeli government is taking bloody retribution on Gazans for the October 7, 2023 attack on Israelis by Hamas terrorists who still hold Israeli hostages. Every night, our TV screens are saturated in images of unbearable suffering in Gaza and accusations of atrocities by the Israeli military acting on behalf of Benjamin Netanyahu's administration. You'd need a heart of ice not to be shocked or angered. But to seek violent revenge and to extend the blame for whatever is occurring on the other side of the world to Jewish citizens of Australia in Melbourne, most of whom live in this city because they or their descendants fled Europe after World War II and the Holocaust, is as imbecilic as it is inexcusable. To attack a Melbourne synagogue or the patrons of a restaurant clearly achieves nothing beyond fuelling dread and stirring traumatic memories of past terror among innocent citizens and their communities, while stripping from the perpetrators' cause whatever public sympathy may have existed.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Man urged to come forward over synagogue fire attack
Detectives have released images of a man they wish to speak to over a targeted fire attack at a synagogue that forced children and families to flee. It happened the same night as an angry protest outside an Israeli restaurant and car fires outside a business previously targeted by demonstrators, prompting Jewish leaders to express deep safety concerns. The violence started when a man doused the front of East Melbourne Synagogue in flammable liquid and set it alight about 8pm on Friday, police said. The temple's president Danny Segal, his wife Jenny and families including children were among those inside enjoying Shabbat dinner. "Somebody saw smoke coming and some passers-by rang the bell and said there's something going on," he told reporters. Everyone inside evacuated safely and firefighters stopped the flames from spreading. Ms Segal said she was worried about what might have happened if the attacker got inside and children were frightened. "They were pretty scared because they felt our fear and our shock," she said. A short time later, protesters gathered outside Israeli restaurant Miznon on nearby Hardware Lane. Jewish leaders say they chanted "death to the IDF", which stands for Israel Defence Forces. Chairs were thrown, tables overturned and a window smashed as police tried to move them on, with one person arrested for hindering officers. The third incident happened outside a business in Greensborough in the city's northeast, where three cars were set alight and spray painted about 4.30am on Saturday. Few details have been made public but Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan said the business was "subject to pro-Palestinian activity in the past" which is why it was included in the probe. None of the incidents were declared terrorism but local police are working with counterterrorism officers to examine links. Commander Dunstan characterised the events as serious criminal incidents. "We do recognise that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent but at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident," she said. "In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved, or person, to determine if this is in fact terrorism." Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said anti-Semitic terror had returned. "The anti-Semitism crisis is not only continuing but getting worse," he said. Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said the diners were terrorised and Melbourne "stopped being a safe place for Jews" for one night. The synagogue attack happened on Shabbat, a period of rest, which Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said made it even more abhorrent. "This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards," she said. Opposition frontbencher David Southwick, who is Jewish, called the events in the city "domestic terrorism" and accused the state government of sitting on its hands "Do we have to wait until actually somebody's killed before the government says, right, now we're going to act? I would hope not." Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece visited the synagogue on Saturday morning and described the city as being one of peace and tolerance despite the terrible events. It comes seven months after a devastating fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south forced people inside to flee. Two of the synagogue's buildings were destroyed in the early morning blaze and no charges have been laid, although counterterrorism police have raided multiple properties as part of that investigation. The attacks follow disagreement between Australia's special envoy to combat anti-Semitism and NSW MPs over a call to ban pro-Palestine protests from city centres. Jillian Segal gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday and was pressed on previous statements labelling weekly demonstrations "intimidatory" and "sinister". Labor MP Stephen Lawrence suggested her comments were an "uncivil way to describe them and the people participating". Detectives have released images of a man they wish to speak to over a targeted fire attack at a synagogue that forced children and families to flee. It happened the same night as an angry protest outside an Israeli restaurant and car fires outside a business previously targeted by demonstrators, prompting Jewish leaders to express deep safety concerns. The violence started when a man doused the front of East Melbourne Synagogue in flammable liquid and set it alight about 8pm on Friday, police said. The temple's president Danny Segal, his wife Jenny and families including children were among those inside enjoying Shabbat dinner. "Somebody saw smoke coming and some passers-by rang the bell and said there's something going on," he told reporters. Everyone inside evacuated safely and firefighters stopped the flames from spreading. Ms Segal said she was worried about what might have happened if the attacker got inside and children were frightened. "They were pretty scared because they felt our fear and our shock," she said. A short time later, protesters gathered outside Israeli restaurant Miznon on nearby Hardware Lane. Jewish leaders say they chanted "death to the IDF", which stands for Israel Defence Forces. Chairs were thrown, tables overturned and a window smashed as police tried to move them on, with one person arrested for hindering officers. The third incident happened outside a business in Greensborough in the city's northeast, where three cars were set alight and spray painted about 4.30am on Saturday. Few details have been made public but Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan said the business was "subject to pro-Palestinian activity in the past" which is why it was included in the probe. None of the incidents were declared terrorism but local police are working with counterterrorism officers to examine links. Commander Dunstan characterised the events as serious criminal incidents. "We do recognise that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent but at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident," she said. "In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved, or person, to determine if this is in fact terrorism." Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said anti-Semitic terror had returned. "The anti-Semitism crisis is not only continuing but getting worse," he said. Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said the diners were terrorised and Melbourne "stopped being a safe place for Jews" for one night. The synagogue attack happened on Shabbat, a period of rest, which Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said made it even more abhorrent. "This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards," she said. Opposition frontbencher David Southwick, who is Jewish, called the events in the city "domestic terrorism" and accused the state government of sitting on its hands "Do we have to wait until actually somebody's killed before the government says, right, now we're going to act? I would hope not." Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece visited the synagogue on Saturday morning and described the city as being one of peace and tolerance despite the terrible events. It comes seven months after a devastating fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south forced people inside to flee. Two of the synagogue's buildings were destroyed in the early morning blaze and no charges have been laid, although counterterrorism police have raided multiple properties as part of that investigation. The attacks follow disagreement between Australia's special envoy to combat anti-Semitism and NSW MPs over a call to ban pro-Palestine protests from city centres. Jillian Segal gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday and was pressed on previous statements labelling weekly demonstrations "intimidatory" and "sinister". Labor MP Stephen Lawrence suggested her comments were an "uncivil way to describe them and the people participating". Detectives have released images of a man they wish to speak to over a targeted fire attack at a synagogue that forced children and families to flee. It happened the same night as an angry protest outside an Israeli restaurant and car fires outside a business previously targeted by demonstrators, prompting Jewish leaders to express deep safety concerns. The violence started when a man doused the front of East Melbourne Synagogue in flammable liquid and set it alight about 8pm on Friday, police said. The temple's president Danny Segal, his wife Jenny and families including children were among those inside enjoying Shabbat dinner. "Somebody saw smoke coming and some passers-by rang the bell and said there's something going on," he told reporters. Everyone inside evacuated safely and firefighters stopped the flames from spreading. Ms Segal said she was worried about what might have happened if the attacker got inside and children were frightened. "They were pretty scared because they felt our fear and our shock," she said. A short time later, protesters gathered outside Israeli restaurant Miznon on nearby Hardware Lane. Jewish leaders say they chanted "death to the IDF", which stands for Israel Defence Forces. Chairs were thrown, tables overturned and a window smashed as police tried to move them on, with one person arrested for hindering officers. The third incident happened outside a business in Greensborough in the city's northeast, where three cars were set alight and spray painted about 4.30am on Saturday. Few details have been made public but Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan said the business was "subject to pro-Palestinian activity in the past" which is why it was included in the probe. None of the incidents were declared terrorism but local police are working with counterterrorism officers to examine links. Commander Dunstan characterised the events as serious criminal incidents. "We do recognise that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent but at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident," she said. "In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved, or person, to determine if this is in fact terrorism." Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said anti-Semitic terror had returned. "The anti-Semitism crisis is not only continuing but getting worse," he said. Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said the diners were terrorised and Melbourne "stopped being a safe place for Jews" for one night. The synagogue attack happened on Shabbat, a period of rest, which Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said made it even more abhorrent. "This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards," she said. Opposition frontbencher David Southwick, who is Jewish, called the events in the city "domestic terrorism" and accused the state government of sitting on its hands "Do we have to wait until actually somebody's killed before the government says, right, now we're going to act? I would hope not." Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece visited the synagogue on Saturday morning and described the city as being one of peace and tolerance despite the terrible events. It comes seven months after a devastating fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south forced people inside to flee. Two of the synagogue's buildings were destroyed in the early morning blaze and no charges have been laid, although counterterrorism police have raided multiple properties as part of that investigation. The attacks follow disagreement between Australia's special envoy to combat anti-Semitism and NSW MPs over a call to ban pro-Palestine protests from city centres. Jillian Segal gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday and was pressed on previous statements labelling weekly demonstrations "intimidatory" and "sinister". Labor MP Stephen Lawrence suggested her comments were an "uncivil way to describe them and the people participating". Detectives have released images of a man they wish to speak to over a targeted fire attack at a synagogue that forced children and families to flee. It happened the same night as an angry protest outside an Israeli restaurant and car fires outside a business previously targeted by demonstrators, prompting Jewish leaders to express deep safety concerns. The violence started when a man doused the front of East Melbourne Synagogue in flammable liquid and set it alight about 8pm on Friday, police said. The temple's president Danny Segal, his wife Jenny and families including children were among those inside enjoying Shabbat dinner. "Somebody saw smoke coming and some passers-by rang the bell and said there's something going on," he told reporters. Everyone inside evacuated safely and firefighters stopped the flames from spreading. Ms Segal said she was worried about what might have happened if the attacker got inside and children were frightened. "They were pretty scared because they felt our fear and our shock," she said. A short time later, protesters gathered outside Israeli restaurant Miznon on nearby Hardware Lane. Jewish leaders say they chanted "death to the IDF", which stands for Israel Defence Forces. Chairs were thrown, tables overturned and a window smashed as police tried to move them on, with one person arrested for hindering officers. The third incident happened outside a business in Greensborough in the city's northeast, where three cars were set alight and spray painted about 4.30am on Saturday. Few details have been made public but Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan said the business was "subject to pro-Palestinian activity in the past" which is why it was included in the probe. None of the incidents were declared terrorism but local police are working with counterterrorism officers to examine links. Commander Dunstan characterised the events as serious criminal incidents. "We do recognise that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent but at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident," she said. "In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved, or person, to determine if this is in fact terrorism." Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said anti-Semitic terror had returned. "The anti-Semitism crisis is not only continuing but getting worse," he said. Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said the diners were terrorised and Melbourne "stopped being a safe place for Jews" for one night. The synagogue attack happened on Shabbat, a period of rest, which Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said made it even more abhorrent. "This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards," she said. Opposition frontbencher David Southwick, who is Jewish, called the events in the city "domestic terrorism" and accused the state government of sitting on its hands "Do we have to wait until actually somebody's killed before the government says, right, now we're going to act? I would hope not." Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece visited the synagogue on Saturday morning and described the city as being one of peace and tolerance despite the terrible events. It comes seven months after a devastating fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south forced people inside to flee. Two of the synagogue's buildings were destroyed in the early morning blaze and no charges have been laid, although counterterrorism police have raided multiple properties as part of that investigation. The attacks follow disagreement between Australia's special envoy to combat anti-Semitism and NSW MPs over a call to ban pro-Palestine protests from city centres. Jillian Segal gave evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday and was pressed on previous statements labelling weekly demonstrations "intimidatory" and "sinister". Labor MP Stephen Lawrence suggested her comments were an "uncivil way to describe them and the people participating".
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Trump says US will start TikTok deal talks with China
US President Donald Trump says he will start talking to China next week about a possible TikTok deal. He said the United States "pretty much" has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. "I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday ... talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would we pretty much have a deal," Trump told reporters on Friday aboard Air Force One. In June, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of TikTok. A deal had been in the works to spin off TikTok's US operations into a new US-based firm, majority-owned and operated by US investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said the US would probably have to get a deal approved by China. When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, "I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us." US President Donald Trump says he will start talking to China next week about a possible TikTok deal. He said the United States "pretty much" has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. "I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday ... talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would we pretty much have a deal," Trump told reporters on Friday aboard Air Force One. In June, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of TikTok. A deal had been in the works to spin off TikTok's US operations into a new US-based firm, majority-owned and operated by US investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said the US would probably have to get a deal approved by China. When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, "I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us." US President Donald Trump says he will start talking to China next week about a possible TikTok deal. He said the United States "pretty much" has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. "I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday ... talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would we pretty much have a deal," Trump told reporters on Friday aboard Air Force One. In June, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of TikTok. A deal had been in the works to spin off TikTok's US operations into a new US-based firm, majority-owned and operated by US investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said the US would probably have to get a deal approved by China. When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, "I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us." US President Donald Trump says he will start talking to China next week about a possible TikTok deal. He said the United States "pretty much" has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. "I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday ... talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would we pretty much have a deal," Trump told reporters on Friday aboard Air Force One. In June, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of TikTok. A deal had been in the works to spin off TikTok's US operations into a new US-based firm, majority-owned and operated by US investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said the US would probably have to get a deal approved by China. When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, "I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us."
