Trump's tariff deadline looms
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SBS Australia
31 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
Hamas says it won't disarm unless independent Palestinian state is established
Hamas has warned it would not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is established — a fresh rebuke to a key Israeli demand to end the war in Gaza. Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire and a deal for the release of hostages, ended last week in a deadlock. Earlier this week, Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating ceasefire efforts, endorsed a declaration by France and Saudi Arabia outlining steps toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of this measure, Hamas must hand over its arms to the Palestinian Authority. In its statement, Hamas — a Palestinian political and military group which has governed the Gaza Strip since the most recent elections in 2006 but has been militarily battered by Israel in the war — said it could not yield its right to "armed resistance" unless an "independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital" is established. The statement was in response to comments from United States President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, who told families of hostages being held by Hamas that he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave. In a recording of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, Witkoff is heard saying: "We have a very, very good plan that we're working on collectively with the Israeli government, with Prime Minister Netanyahu ... for the reconstruction of Gaza. That effectively means the end of the war." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks. Witkoff also said that Hamas was prepared to disarm in order to end the war, though the group has repeatedly said it will not lay down its weapons. Israel considers the disarmament of Hamas a key condition for any deal to end the conflict. Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described any future independent Palestinian state as a platform to destroy Israel and said, for that reason, security control over Palestinian territories must remain with Israel. He also criticised several countries, including the UK and Canada , for announcing plans to recognise a Palestinian state in response to the devastation of Gaza from Israel's offensive and blockade. He called the move a reward for Hamas' conduct. Hamas releases second video of Israeli hostage On Sunday AEST, Hamas released its second video in two days of Israeli hostage Evyatar David. In it, David, skeletally thin, is shown digging a hole, which, he says in the video, is for his own grave. "They are on the absolute brink of death," David's brother Ilay said at a rally in support of the hostages in Tel Aviv, where thousands gathered holding posters of those in captivity and chanted for their immediate release. "In the current unimaginable condition, they may have only days left to live." The war started when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on 7 October, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has turned much of the enclave into a wasteland, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians and setting off a humanitarian catastrophe. Nearly a week has passed since Israel, under international pressure amid growing scenes of starving children, announced limited humanitarian pauses and airdrops meant to get more food to Gaza's over two million people. But the United Nations, partners and Palestinians say far too little aid is still coming in, with months' worth of supplies piled up outside Gaza waiting for Israeli approval. The leading international authority on food crises this week said a "worst-case scenario of famine" was occurring in the besieged enclave. Israeli officials deny that starvation is occurring in Gaza .
ABC News
44 minutes ago
- ABC News
US envoy tells Israeli hostage families he is working on plan to end Gaza war
US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy has told families of hostages being held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas that he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. Mr Trump has made ending the conflict a major priority of his administration, though negotiations have faltered. Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave. In a recording of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, Mr Witkoff is heard saying: "We have a very, very good plan that we're working on collectively with the Israeli government, with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu … for the reconstruction of Gaza." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks. Mr Witkoff also said Hamas was prepared to disarm in order to end the war, though the group has repeatedly said it would not lay down its weapons. In response, Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since 2007 but has been militarily battered by Israel in the war, said it would not relinquish "armed resistance" unless an "independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital" was established. Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and a deal for the release of half the hostages ended last week in deadlock. On Saturday, Hamas released its second video in two days of Israeli hostage Evyatar David. In it, skeletally thin David is shown digging a hole, which he says is his own grave. "They are on the absolute brink of death," David's brother Ilay said at a rally in support of the hostages in Tel Aviv, where thousands gathered holding posters of those in captivity and chanted for their immediate release. Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar said the "world cannot remain silent in the face of the difficult images that are the result of deliberate sadistic abuse of the hostages, which also includes starvation". Mr Witkoff, who arrived in Israel with Mr Netanyahu's government facing a global outcry over the devastation in Gaza and the starvation growing among its 2.2 million people, met the prime minister on Thursday. Afterwards, a senior Israeli official said an understanding between Israel and Washington was emerging that there was a need to move from a plan to release some of the hostages to a plan to release all the hostages, disarm Hamas and demilitarise the Gaza Strip, echoing Israel's key demands for ending the war. On Tuesday, Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating ceasefire efforts, endorsed a declaration by France and Saudi Arabia outlining steps toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of it, they said Hamas must hand over its arms to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. The crisis in Gaza has also prompted a string of Western powers to announce they may recognise a Palestinian state. On Friday, Mr Witkoff visited a US-backed aid operation in southern Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Dozens have died of malnutrition in recent weeks after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It said on Saturday that it had recorded seven more fatalities, including a child, since Friday. Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza and says it is taking steps for more aid to reach its population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, air drops and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. UN agencies have said airdrops of food are insufficient and that Israel must let in far more aid by land and quickly ease access to it. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Reuters
AU Financial Review
an hour ago
- AU Financial Review
AUKUS review focus on fixing subs ‘could favour Australia'
Washington | The US Navy's expanded focus on submarine maintenance rates as part of the Pentagon's review of the AUKUS pact could prove positive for the Albanese government if it acts faster to upgrade facilities in Western Australia, according to a former navy chief. Richard Spencer, who was secretary of the US Navy during President Donald Trump's first term, said a better maintenance network would help alleviate Pentagon concerns about building enough nuclear-powered submarines to meet domestic demand before delivering second-hand vessels to Australia by 2032.
