Berlin says evacuated 19 Germans plus relatives from Gaza
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Saudi Gazette
Israel to present new Gaza withdrawal map in Qatar ceasefire talks
DOHA — Israel is expected to present a revised withdrawal map during ceasefire negotiations in Doha, following a stall in talks over its previous proposal to retain control over a significant portion of the Gaza Strip, media outlets reported on Saturday. According to Israel's Channel 12, mediators in Qatar are awaiting the new map, which could serve as a potential breakthrough after Hamas rejected earlier proposals that sought to maintain Israeli military occupation zones as wide as 3 kilometers. Hamas had agreed to a buffer zone of just 0.7 to 1 kilometer, citing the need for minimal displacement and full Palestinian control over liberated areas. The revised map aims to bridge the widening gap between the two sides. While Hamas and Israel remain divided on core issues, Haaretz, quoting an Arab diplomatic source, said regional mediators have not abandoned efforts to find common ground. The source emphasized the difficulty of appeasing Hamas while addressing the concerns of Israel's far-right cabinet ministers. The US has also expressed dissatisfaction with the Israeli proposal and reportedly conveyed its concerns to Qatari and Egyptian mediators. According to The Times of Israel, Washington views the continued push for extended occupation zones as a hindrance to a viable agreement. The internal political climate in Tel Aviv is also complicating negotiations. Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is expected to resign if a ceasefire is signed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning talks with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to contain resistance within the Cabinet. Israel's previous maps reportedly proposed retaining control over up to one-third of Gaza, including Rafah in the south, where a so-called 'humanitarian aid city' was allegedly planned. Critics said the proposal amounted to establishing a holding site for Palestinians destined for deportation to third countries. Ceasefire talks have revolved around a 60-day truce, the release of 10 living and 18 deceased Israeli hostages, and further discussions toward a permanent cessation of hostilities. While many issues have been provisionally resolved, Israel's insistence on maintaining a military presence around Gaza's perimeter remains the key obstacle. Despite Tel Aviv's opposition to Hamas' latest amendments to the ceasefire proposal, the Israeli delegation still traveled to Doha. Meanwhile, Hamas has expressed its readiness to move forward with the deal based on proposals presented by Qatar and Egypt. The humanitarian toll continues to mount. The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 998 people have been killed and over 7,000 wounded in Israeli army and settler attacks in the West Bank since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023. Nearly 58,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children — have been killed in Gaza during the ongoing offensive. The international legal community has also escalated pressure on Israel. The International Court of Justice ruled last year that Israel's occupation of Palestinian land is illegal and ordered the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Additionally, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Gaza. — Agencies
Leaders
3 hours ago
- Leaders
Gaza Talks Stalled as Hamas, Israel Trade Blame
The ceasefire talks to end the war in Gaza have stalled as Hamas and Israel exchange blame over undermining attempts to reach a deal, reported AFP. After nearly a week of indirect negotiations in Doha, both sides accuse each other of blocking attempts to achieve progress over a US-backed 60-day truce that would pave the way for further negotiations to reach an agreement that ends the 21-month war. Withdrawal Dilemma A sticking issue in the talks is the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. According to a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations, Israel insists on keeping its troops in Gaza, which is holding back progress in the talks. Hamas demands a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, while Israel wants to keep troops in more than 40% of the enclave – a move that the Palestinian group rejects and sees as an attempt to force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a small area near the southern city of Rafah, according to a Palestinian source. 'Hamas's delegation will not accept the Israeli maps… as they essentially legitimize the reoccupation of approximately half of the Gaza Strip and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement,' two Palestinian sources told AFP. Mediators Efforts The mediators Egypt, Qatar and the US are making efforts to save negotiations by asking both Hamas and Israel to postpone talks until the US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrives in Doha, a second Palestinian source told AFP. The source also said that talks saw 'some progress' on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners and getting more aid into the enclave. Last week, the US President, Donald Trump, expressed optimism regarding the Gaza ceasefire talks. During his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday in the White House, Trump told reporters that he thinks the talks were progressing in a good way. 'I don't think there is a hold-up. I think things are going along very well,' he said. Israeli Accusations On the other hand, Israeli media reported that Israeli negotiators would present new maps on Sunday. Israeli officials accused Hamas of deliberately rejecting the proposed plans to sabotage the talks. A senior Israeli official told AFP that the Palestinian movement is inflexible and deliberately trying to obstruct the deal. 'Hamas rejected the Qatari proposal, is creating obstacles, refusing to compromise, and is accompanying the talks with a psychological warfare campaign aimed at sabotaging the negotiations,' a senior Israeli official said, adding that 'Israel has demonstrated a willingness to show flexibility in the negotiations.' Moreover, Netanyahu said this week that neutralizing and disarming Hamas is a prerequisite for any long-term ceasefire talks. However, the Israeli Prime Minister is facing mounting domestic and international pressures to end the war and bring hostages home. In the light of this, thousands of Israelis took to the streets in Tel Aviv, demanding the government to secure a hostage deal. Ceasefire proposal Both Hamas and Israel are negotiating over a US-backed 60-day ceasefire proposal, during which the US would work with all parties to end the war. According to the AP, the proposal involves a 60-day truce, during which Hamas will release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 in phases. In exchange, Israel will release a number of Palestinian prisoners and the humanitarian aid flow into Gaza will increase under the UN supervision. Meanwhile, Israeli troops will withdraw to a buffer zone along Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt. Both sides will begin negotiations on ending the war, with mediators Egypt and Qatar acting as guarantors. The ceasefire may be extended if negotiations to end the war are not complete by the end of the 60 days. Moreover, Trump will personally announce the ceasefire agreement once reached. Intensified Campaign As negotiators were holding talks in Qatar, Israel has intensified its strikes in Gaza. According to Gaza's Civil Defense, Israeli strikes killed at least 38 people on Saturday, including in an overnight airstrike on a shelter for the displaced. Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced on Saturday it had hit 'approximately 250 terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip' over the past 48 hours, adding that its fighter jets attacked more than '35 Hamas targets' in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 57,882 Palestinians and injured over 138,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Moreover, 805 Palestinians have been killed near aid distribution centers, the Ministry added. Short link : Post Views: 47
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Gaza Civil Defense Says Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 29
Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli airstrikes on Sunday killed at least 29 Palestinians, including six children near a water distribution point. The attacks came with apparent deadlock in a week of indirect talks in Qatar between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas for a ceasefire in the territory. Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that Gaza City was hit by several strikes overnight and in the early morning, killing eight, "including women and children" and wounding others. An Israeli airstrike hit a family home near the Nuseirat refugee camp, south of Gaza City, resulting in "10 martyrs and several injured", Bassal said. In central Gaza, six children were among eight people killed when a drone "hit a potable water distribution point in an area for displaced people" in the Nuseirat camp, he added. Several other people were wounded, he said. In the territory's south, three people were killed when Israeli jets hit a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in the coastal Al-Mawasi area, according to the civil defense spokesman. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has recently intensified its operations across Gaza, more than 21 months into the war triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack. On Saturday, the military said fighter jets had hit more than 35 "Hamas terror targets" around Beit Hanun in northern Gaza. The vast majority of Gaza's population of more than two million people have been displaced at least once during the war, which has created dire humanitarian conditions in the territory. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency and other parties.
