Mediators tell Hamas new Gaza talks to begin in Doha
"Mediators informed Hamas that a new round of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel will begin in Doha today, Sunday," the official, who is familiar with the talks and close to Hamas, told AFP.
The official said the Hamas delegation, led by its top negotiator Kahlil al-Hayya, was already in the Qatari capital.
The renewed talks are expected to focus on the conditions for a potential ceasefire agreement, with particular attention to the details of a possible hostage release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas is also seeking increased humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip and assurances for a lasting end to the conflict.
Two Palestinian sources close to the discussions said the latest US-backed proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.
On Friday, Hamas said it was ready "to engage immediately and seriously" in negotiations, and that it had submitted its response to the proposal, without offering any details.
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that "the changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal... are unacceptable to Israel".
Netanyahu however ordered negotiators to head to Doha to discuss "the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to", the statement from his office said, later adding the delegation would travel on Sunday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Is it a Gaza ceasefire? Why eyes will be on Washington more than Doha
Trump, who has described the latest 60-day truce proposal as 'final", is aiming to unveil the potential ceasefire deal alongside Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, according to reports read more President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive for a news conference in the East Room of the White House, on Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington. AP File While an Israeli negotiating team is in Qatar to explore the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza, the real action is expected in Washington today as President Donald Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for high-stakes talks. According to reports, Trump, who has described the latest 60-day truce proposal as 'final", is aiming to unveil the potential ceasefire deal alongside Netanyahu at the White House. With the latest round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas ending without progress and expected to resume in Doha on Monday, the real political pressure and potential breakthrough may now shift to Washington, added reports. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Netanyahu and Trump share a complicated personal relationship — one that saw Trump expressing open frustration with the Israeli leader just last month during tense efforts to broker a truce with Iran. Despite past tensions, the two have appeared closely aligned since the US launched airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, a major objective for Israeli military planners, reported The Guardian. Now arriving in Washington, Netanyahu is seen as politically strengthened at home, which may provide him with the diplomatic space to pursue a ceasefire in Gaza without triggering backlash from his right-wing base that could destabilise his coalition government, added the report, citing analysts. Hamas seeks key revisions This week, Hamas gave a 'positive' response to Israel's 60-day ceasefire proposal, but its negotiators are demanding key revisions — including a permanent end to hostilities and a shift in aid distribution oversight from the US and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to the United Nations. The foundation has faced significant criticism, with repeated incidents of Israeli forces firing on civilians at aid distribution points, resulting in hundreds of deaths. While Israel has rejected these conditions as 'unacceptable', Netanyahu agreed to send negotiators to Qatar for indirect talks with Hamas. Before departing for Washington on Sunday, he described the moment as a chance 'to expand the circle of peace far beyond what we could have imagined.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Netanyahu said Israeli negotiators in Qatar had clear instructions to pursue a deal based on terms already accepted by Israel, and suggested Trump could play a key role in securing that outcome, according to Reuters. 'We've already transformed the Middle East beyond recognition, and now have a chance to build a brighter future for Israel and the region,' Netanyahu was quoted as saying. The Qatar talks — the first in six weeks — come as Trump expressed optimism aboard Air Force One on Friday, telling reporters, 'There could be a Gaza deal next week.' Ahead of the talks, Netanyahu's top adviser, Ron Dermer, met in Washington with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Sources told The Guardian the discussions focused on postwar plans to eliminate Hamas's control in Gaza and hand over reconstruction to the international community. The latest version of the deal would have Hamas release 28 Israeli hostages – 10 alive and 18 bodies – over the course of the 60-day ceasefire. The UN and Palestine Red Crescent Society would be given additional licence to expand aid operations in Gaza. The Israeli army would withdraw first from parts of northern Gaza, and one week later would pull out from parts of the south. The deal would leave approximately 22 hostages, 10 of them alive, still held in Gaza. No progress in Doha talks Meanwhile, even as momentum appears to be building in Washington as Netanyahu prepares to meet Trump today, the latest round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas ended without a breakthrough, BBC reported, quoting a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to the official, the session lasted for nearly three-and-a-half hours and took place in two separate buildings in Doha. Messages and clarifications were exchanged between the two sides through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, but no progress was achieved. The official added that talks are expected to resume on Monday, as mediators plan to hold separate meetings with each delegation in an effort to overcome the obstacles and narrow the gaps between the two sides. According to Reuters, citing two Palestinian officials, the Israeli delegation was not 'sufficiently authorised' to reach an agreement with Hamas because it had 'no real powers'. Qatari and Egyptian mediators face an uphill task as indirect talks resume on Monday, aiming to resolve the same sticking points that have stalled previous efforts since the last ceasefire collapsed in March. Since then, Israel has intensified its military campaign and enforced an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza —partially eased in recent weeks — saying the pressure is meant to weaken Hamas and secure the release of hostages. In the past 24 hours alone, the Israeli military reported striking 130 Hamas targets and killing several militants. Meanwhile, the toll on civilians continues to rise, with Gaza hospital officials reporting over 30 deaths on Sunday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The key questions now is if mediators can forge a workable deal, and can Trump convince Netanyahu, in their meeting Monday, that it's time to end the war? With inputs from agencies
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Israel strikes Yemen's port city of Hodeida, prompts retaliatory attacks by Iran-backed Houthis
Israel's military said its latest wave of air strikes hit the ports of Hodeida, Ras Isa, and Salif. Hours later, Israel said two missiles were launched from Yemen. Houthi military spokesman Yehyaa Saree claimed responsibility for it read more In this photo taken from video released by Al Masirah TV channel shows a burning oil tanker after U.S. airstrikes targeted the Ras Isa oil port held by Yemen's Houthi rebels in Hodeida, Yemen. AP Israel said Monday (July 7) that it had launched air strikes on multiple sites in Yemen's Houthi-controlled Red Sea port city of Hodeida and nearby areas, prompting retaliatory missile attacks by the Iran-backed rebel group. The Houthis, who have supported the Palestinian cause since war erupted in Gaza in October 2023, have repeatedly targeted Israel with drones and missiles. Monday's exchange marks another escalation in the regional fallout from the conflict between Israel and Hamas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel's military said its latest wave of air strikes hit 'terror infrastructure belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime,' including the ports of Hodeida, Ras Isa, and Salif. Among the targets, it claimed, was the Galaxy Leader cargo ship, which was captured by the Houthis in November and allegedly outfitted with a radar system to track commercial shipping in the Red Sea. 'These strikes were in response to the repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel,' the Israeli army said in a statement. Houthi missile response Hours after the Israeli bombardment, the Israeli military reported that two missiles had been launched from Yemen. Houthi military spokesman Yehyaa Saree later claimed responsibility, saying in a video statement that the group had targeted Ben Gurion airport, the ports of Ashdod and Eilat, and a power station in Ashkelon. 'These were in retaliation for this aggression,' Saree said. Houthi-run Al-Masirah television confirmed the Israeli attacks, reporting that 'the Israeli enemy is targeting the port of Hodeida,' and also cited strikes on Ras Isa, Salif, and the Ras Al-Kathib power station. The television station said the strikes came roughly 30 minutes after an Israeli army spokesman warned of imminent action on social media. The Houthis have framed their campaign as an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. They resumed attacks on Israel in March after a two-month ceasefire in Gaza broke down and Israel resumed its military operations. Since November, the Houthis have targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, especially vessels they claim are linked to Israel. Continued maritime threats On Sunday (July 6), unidentified gunmen in skiffs attacked a commercial vessel off Yemen's coast in the Red Sea, forcing the crew to abandon ship after it was hit by rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said the crew were rescued by a passing merchant ship and were 'all well and safe.' While no group claimed responsibility for that attack, UK-based security firm Ambrey said the targeted vessel matched 'the established Houthi target profile.' The Houthis expanded their maritime campaign earlier this year to include US and British-linked ships after the two nations began air strikes against rebel sites in January in an attempt to protect vital sea lanes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although the Houthis reached a ceasefire deal with the United States in May that ended weeks of intense US-led strikes, the group has insisted it will continue targeting Israeli vessels. With inputs from AFP
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Tesla in trouble again? All about SpaceX CEO's latest move amid feud with Trump
Trump vs Musk feud escalates Live Events Trump on Musk's new party (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Tesla investors faced a rough start to the week Monday with shares dropping after Chief Executive Elon Musk's plan for a new US political party drew the ire of US President Donald Trump. Tesla stocks fell sharply as investors fear Elon Musk's launch of a new political party will present further problems for the electric carmaker. The company reported last week that deliveries fell almost 14% in the second shares fell nearly 7% in premarket trading on Monday, reported news agency Reuters, threatening to wipe approximately $70bn (£51bn) off the company's value when Wall Street opens. Over the weekend, Elon Musk announced he would launch the ' America Party ', voicing his displeasure over President Donald Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill'. He also suggested a strategy of targeting a few key House and Senate seats in announced late Saturday that he was forming the America Party, after polling X users on whether he should and amid his persistent objections to the Trump-backed tax-and-spending legislation that is now announced the creation of the America party on his X platform at the weekend. He wrote: 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America party is formed to give you back your freedom.'Initially, when Elon Musk came out in full support of Donald Trump, it created a consumer backlash. Now, with the Trump-Musk relationship taking an ugly turn, investors fear that the Tesla CEO will be distracted from his day job, or that the White House will punish his businesses."Very simply Musk diving deeper into politics and now trying to take on the Beltway establishment is exactly the opposite direction that Tesla investors/shareholders want him to take during this crucial period for the Tesla story," Wedbush's Dan Ives, a longtime Tesla bull, told clients in a note, reports Morning Star."While the core Musk supporters will back Musk at every turn no matter what, there is broader sense of exhaustion from many Tesla investors that Musk keeps heading down the political track," he despite the Tesla shares falling, the Space X boss remains comfortably the world's richest person, with a wealth of about $400bn, according to Forbes. Tesla is valued at just under $1tn but its shares have come under pressure owing to the Tesla CEO's relationship with Donald on Sunday called Musk's plans to form the America party 'ridiculous', launching new barbs at the world's richest person. Trump posted to Truth Social that Musk had become a "TRAIN WRECK," and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — long a Musk foe — told CNN he expected the boards of Musk's companies would be opposed to his a post on the Truth Social tech platform, Trump wrote: 'I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.'Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also weighed in on Musk's latest political ambitions, telling CNN's Face the Nation program on Sunday that Musk's strength lies in his ability to run companies."So, I believe that the boards of directors at his various companies wanted him to come back and run those companies, which he is better at than anyone. So I imagine that those board of directors did not like this announcement yesterday and will be encouraging him to focus on his business activities, not his political activities," he said.
