Gaza: Families of Israeli captives contact Hamas over fate of ceasefire talks
Sources told MEE that the third party reached out to Hamas after the captives' families feared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin was trying to torpedo a possible deal.
A senior figure within Hamas told the representative it was "serious" about reaching an agreement to end the war and release the captives, but that it was facing "intransigent Israeli positions", sources told MEE.
"Hamas is serious about reaching an agreement to end the war and establish arrangements that ensure calm and stability. It has demonstrated significant flexibility and positive responsibility during the negotiation rounds," the sources quoted Hamas as saying.
"Israel has insisted on continuing the war, destroying the Gaza Strip, displacing its population, and imposing a state of hunger, suffering, and ongoing massacres that have not ceased for a single day."
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Hamas and Israel reached a brief three-stage ceasefire in January, but the deal collapsed in March after Israel took back several of its captives and resumed bombing Gaza, walking away from the deal before talks with Hamas on a permanent end to the war could start.
Since then, the Trump administration has given Israel full backing to wage war on Gaza.
According to sources, the Hamas official told the representative that the Palestinian movement had complied with "everything stipulated" in the first phase of the previous ceasefire, which was supposed to transition to phase two talks on ending the war.
Before withdrawing from the ceasefire, Hamas said that Israel committed "hundreds of violations", including deploying troops beyond 'buffer zones", killing 132 civilians, preventing the inflow of reconstruction material, and remaining in the Philadelphia Corridor that separates Gaza from Egypt.
Hamas reportedly told the representative that despite Israel unilaterally resuming the war, it responded to proposals by mediators to revive the ceasefire, 'but Israel rejected them and insisted on releasing half of the Israeli prisoners without offering any guarantees that the war would cease. In fact, it openly insisted on its continuation'.
As it stands, there are believed to be around 20 living captives in Gaza and just over 30 dead Israelis. Since the 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel, the country's military has only rescued eight captives in raids that have seen hundreds of Palestinians killed.
Talks remain deadlocked
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said talks on a Gaza ceasefire were going along well, repeating remarks he made last week during a visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In contrast, MEE reported on Saturday that Hamas negotiators were sceptical that a ceasefire agreement could be reached in the current round of talks in Doha, Qatar.
Sources close to Palestinian negotiators said talks have remained deadlocked over at least two of four key issues.
Exclusive: Gaza talks at risk after Israel refuses to withdraw from Rafah Read More »
The first is the extent of the proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip during a 60-day truce. The second is the method of aid distribution.
The US has reportedly proposed postponing discussions on these two points, instead focusing on the names of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel in exchange for the remaining Israeli captives.
According to the sources, Hamas told the representative for the captives' families that it asked to amend three points related to the distribution of aid, the deployment of Israeli soldiers in Gaza and guarantees on ending the war after an initial 60-day truce is over.
'However, Israel has taken a hardline stance, particularly in its redeployment maps, where it seeks to control approximately 36 percent of the Gaza Strip's area and keep approximately 600,000 residents displaced and unable to return to their homes," Hamas is reported to have said.
"Israel has repeatedly rejected our offer to return all Israeli prisoners at once in exchange for ending the war.
"They rejected it and preferred a partial solution. This is a clear indication of their intention to continue the war and their disregard for prisoners as a central issue for Israeli society," it added.
For more than 21 months, Israel has relentlessly bombed the besieged Gaza Strip, displacing the entire 2.3 million population multiple times, and has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians.
The figure also includes at least 1,400 health sector professionals, 280 United Nations aid workers - the highest staff death toll in UN history - and at least 228 journalists, with the highest number of media workers killed in conflict since the Committee to Protect Journalists began recording data in 1992.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
4 minutes ago
- Al Etihad
Trump signs stablecoin law as crypto industry aims for mainstream adoption
18 July 2025 23:44 (Reuters)US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a law to create a regulatory regime for US-dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies known as stablecoins, a milestone that could pave the way for the digital assets to become an everyday way to make payments and move bill, dubbed the GENIUS Act, passed by 308 to 122, receiving support from nearly half the Democratic members and most Republicans. The law is a huge win for crypto supporters, who have long lobbied for such a regulatory framework in a bid to gain greater legitimacy for an industry that began in 2009 as a digital Wild West famed for its innovation and speculative chaos."This signing is a massive validation of your hard work and pioneering spirit," said Trump at a signing event that included several crypto are designed to maintain a constant value, usually a 1:1 US dollar peg, and their use has exploded, notably by crypto traders moving funds between tokens. The industry hopes they will enter mainstream use for sending and receiving payments new law requires stablecoins to be backed by liquid assets - such as US dollars and short-term Treasury bills - and for issuers to disclose publicly the composition of their reserves companies and executives have argued such legislation will enhance stablecoins' credibility and make banks, retailers and consumers more willing to using them to transfer funds stablecoin market, which crypto data provider CoinGecko said is valued at more than $260 billion, could grow to $2 trillion by 2028 under the new law, Standard Chartered bank estimated earlier this law's passage culminates a long lobbying effort by the industry, which donated more than $245 million in last year's elections to aid pro-crypto candidates including Trump, according to Federal Election Commission Republican president, who has since launched his own coin, in turn aligned himself with the industry and told a crypto conference during his presidential campaign that he would make the US "the crypto capital of the planet."But Democrats and critics have said the law should have blocked big tech companies from issuing their own stablecoins, which could increase the clout of an already powerful sector, contained stronger anti-money laundering protections and prohibited foreign stablecoin issuers. COULD BOOST DEMAND FOR T-BILLS Big US banks are internally debating an expansion into cryptocurrencies as regulators give stronger backing to digital assets, but banks' initial steps will be cautious, centering on pilot programs, partnerships or limited crypto trading, Reuters reported in several crypto firms including Circle and Ripple are seeking banking licenses. This would enable the companies to settle payments faster and cut costs by bypassing intermediary banks, as well as enhancing their of the bill have said it could potentially give rise to a new source of demand for short-term US government debt, or T-bills, because stablecoin issuers will have to purchase more T-bills to back their others worry this activity could increase volatility in the Treasury bills market. In an April research note, JPMorgan analysts estimated that stablecoin issuers could become the third-largest buyer of Treasury bills in the coming years. TRUMP CREATES BITCOIN RESERVE Trump has sought to broadly overhaul US cryptocurrency policies, signing an executive order in March establishing a strategic bitcoin reserve. The president has moved personally into digital assets, launching a meme coin called $TRUMP in January and partly owning crypto company World Liberty Financial.
The National
34 minutes ago
- The National
'We fled a civil war': civilians bear the brunt of Sweida sectarian violence
Not a single civilian remained in Mazraa, a Druze-majority town in the western suburbs of Sweida in Syria, on Friday. Thick black smoke billowed over the city as Bedouin fighters roamed the roads in cars and on scooters, after having effectively taken control of the town. Torched and looted buildings stood silent watch over streets lined with charred vehicles. One fighter, wearing a Lacoste cap, chanted 'Allahu akbar' while standing behind a wall scrawled with graffiti reading 'Druze pigs' and 'Down with the collaborators'. The Druze, a religious minority whose beliefs derive from a branch of Islam, also have communities in Lebanon and Israel. Israel has long portrayed itself as a protector of the Druze. The renewed violence on the outskirts of Sweida erupted despite a fragile ceasefire reached on Wednesday, which halted four days of indiscriminate bloodshed in the Druze-majority city. The fighting, which began on Sunday as tit-for-tat attacks between local Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias, two long-standing rivals, quickly escalated into widespread violence. Government forces intervened to quell the clashes, but were accused of committing widespread abuses against the Druze. Israel also joined the fray, launching attacks on government forces, saying it was acting to protect the Druze. A ceasefire reached on Wednesday had raised hopes for a return to calm after days of mayhem. But the respite was short lived. Hours after the ceasefire was agreed, Druze militiamen launched retaliatory attacks on Sunni Bedouin communities, according to Syria's state news agency, Sana, which condemned what it called 'violations' against local Bedouin tribes. Sectarian clashes reignited. On Thursday night, Bedouin tribes advanced towards the city of Sweida and set fire to properties in Druze-majority villages in the western suburbs of the regional capital, including Mazraa. Fierce fighting continued on Friday in the nearby village of Walgha, pitting Druze militia factions against Bedouin tribes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said no casualties had been reported so far from the renewed fighting. There was no presence of Syrian government forces in Mazraa, after they withdrew from Sweida province following the ceasefire. Security General convoys were seen on Friday driving in Deraa province, located east of Sweida, but did not enter the area. At least 594 people have been killed in Sweida province in the recent violence, including civilians and fighters from Bedouin groups, Druze militias and government forces, SOHR said on Thursday evening. The monitor said 300 members of the Druze religious minority were killed, including 146 fighters and 154 civilians. At least 257 government personnel and 18 Bedouin fighters were also killed, while three Bedouin civilians were executed by Druze fighters, SOHR added. The UN's migration agency said on Friday that nearly 80,000 people have been displaced by sectarian violence. Civilians bearing the brunt Civilians from both sides have been bearing the brunt of the vicious violence. Inside Sweida, residents said a precarious calm had held throughout the day, despite fighting raging on the outskirts of the city and fears it could spread further. Many described harrowing scenes as they ventured back into the streets after days of confinement amid indiscriminate shelling, with bodies lying in the streets, torched cars and looted homes. Ramzi, who had evacuated to a safer area in the southern part of the province before fighting resumed, said he returned on Friday morning to find his home looted. 'They stole everything. Everything,' he said. Locals, speaking to The National by phone under pseudonyms for security reasons, said the city was completely sealed off. 'Sweida is under siege,' said Cham, adding that they only had some flour and vegetables left and were running low on infant formula. Amid the escalating humanitarian crisis, the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management announced on Friday the creation of a joint operations room to co-ordinate relief, evacuation and ambulance services. It said hundreds of families had been evacuated to safer areas. A dozens of kilometres from Sweida, in the town of Busra Al Harir, in neighbouring Deraa province, many displaced Bedouin families were seen camping in the open on Thursday. Families said they fled out of fear of reprisals by Druze factions in Sweida. Among them was Jumaa Al Khalaf, 70, who fled his village. 'We were displaced because Druze fighters told us, that if they find us, they will kill us,' he said. 'We ask the authorities to hear our voice. We need aid. We need tarpaulins, we need tents,' Mr Al Khalaf said. 'We fled a civil war. We are with none of the sides. We've been here for about 15 years, just trying to make a living.'
Middle East Eye
39 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Saudi Arabia told US that Syrian forces should deploy to Sweida despite Israeli objections, source says
Saudi Arabia told the US that Syrian security forces should be allowed to deploy to the country's restive south despite Israeli objections, a US official told Middle East Eye. The official, who requested anonymity due to sensitivities around the topic, said that Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday that the kingdom supported Syria's military asserting control in the southern Syrian province of Sweida. A readout of the call provided by the State Department said the two sides "discussed regional security matters, including efforts to end the violence in Syria". It did not provide further details. The US official briefed on the call, and a second source familiar with the diplomacy, told MEE on Friday that the kingdom was "angry" about Israel attacking Syrian soldiers and dictating military deployments to Damascus. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Sweida has been the site of sectarian violence between the majority Druze community and Sunni Bedouins. After bloody fighting broke out on Sunday, the Syrian government deployed troops to Sweida at the request of local authorities, prompting Israel to launch severe strikes against the Syrian army. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then ordered Syria's government not to deploy troops south. When President Ahmed al-Sharaa did, Israel launched strikes on Syrian military convoys. On Wednesday, Israel bombed the Syrian defence ministry and areas near the presidential palace. Current and former US, Arab and Israeli officials told MEE that Netanyahu was seeking to carve out a zone of influence in southern Syria, a development that was unnerving the US's Arab allies and Turkey. In an about-turn on Friday, Israeli media reported, citing an unnamed Israeli official, that it had decided to "allow" the "limited entry" of internal Syrian security forces into Sweida for 48 hours. 'Crystal clear' A separate US official in the region who has been monitoring the Israeli strikes about the change in Israeli posture, told MEE that Israel's push for a zone of influence in Syria's south clashed with a unitary, central Syria that Trump's envoy to the country, and ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, laid out just last week to reporters. "I think Potus and others in the administration have been crystal clear about the path for Syria," the official said, referring to President Trump. Turkey doesn't have many options against Israel in Syria Read More » A second regional source told MEE that the US was upset about the Israeli strikes. Israel's intervention in Sweida has been especially inconvenient to the Trump administration because it comes as the US is pushing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to submit to Damascus's authority. The US and SDF were allies fighting against the Islamic State militant group, but now Washington wants the Kurdish-led forces to integrate into the Syrian army, as opposed to maintaining an autonomous zone in the northeast. Sharaa, a former leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and before that al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, led the removal of the country's former president and strongman, Bashar al-Assad, in December 2024. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and other Arab states issued a statement on Thursday reaffirming their 'unwavering support for Syria's security, unity, stability and sovereignty". The statement said Israel's strikes were a "flagrant assault on Syria's sovereignty" and that they rejected "all forms of foreign intervention in its [Syrian] internal affairs". 'Vested in Sharaa' Saudi Arabia's decision to back Sharaa and assert military authority in Sweida is not surprising. The kingdom hosted a direct meeting between the Syrian president and Trump in Riyadh in May. Trump said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were responsible for convincing him to terminate all sanctions on Syria, again in opposition to what diplomats say Israel preferred. With Damascus strikes, Israel seeks to tear up Trump's vision for Syria Read More » Farhan also spoke with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, on Wednesday. While Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have the funds to support Syria's reconstruction, Sharaa enjoys close ties to Ankara. In April, Israel bombed several Syrian air bases that Turkey was planning to take over to train Sharaa's security forces. 'Saudi Arabia is vested in Syrian stability and reconstruction. That includes in Sharaa,' the US official told MEE. This all comes as Trump says he still wants to broker a normalisation agreement between the US's two partners. MEE was the first to report that Saudi Arabia lobbied Trump to stop attacks on Yemen's Houthis in May. Trump's decision to do so was widely seen as going against Israel.
