First round of indirect Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks ends with no deal
Before leaving for the United States, Netanyahu said that the Israeli negotiators were given clear instructions. "Israeli negotiators taking part in the ceasefire talks have clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions that Israel has accepted," he said.NETANYAHU HOPES FOR US SUPPORT ON CEASEFIRE DEALOn Sunday, Netanyahu said he was hopeful that his meeting with President Trump would help push the ceasefire talks forward."I believe the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance these results," he said. Netanyahu added that one of his main goals was to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and to remove the group's threat to Israel.As pressure grows at home to reach a ceasefire and end the fighting in Gaza, Netanyahu is facing division within his own government. While some members of his right-wing coalition oppose a truce, others, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, have shown support.Last week, Hamas said it responded "in a positive spirit" to a ceasefire proposal backed by the US. This followed Trump's statement that Israel had agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize a 60-day truce.CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR BOTH SIDESDespite the US push, obstacles remain. A Palestinian official from a group aligned with Hamas said there are still issues related to humanitarian aid, the opening of the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, and a clear timeline for Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza.Netanyahu's office later said that some of the changes Hamas requested to the proposal were "not acceptable to Israel." However, it confirmed that the Israeli delegation would still travel to Qatar to continue discussions based on the original Qatari plan, which Israel had already accepted.Netanyahu wants Hamas to be disarmed, a demand the group has not agreed to discuss. Meanwhile, he also hopes to use his meeting with Trump to build on Israel's recent 12-day air conflict with Iran and push for efforts to stop Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.advertisement"The recent developments in the region have created a real opportunity to expand the circle of peace," Netanyahu said before his departure.TRUMP TO DISCUSS PERMANENT IRAN DEAL WITH NETANYAHUMeanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House tomorrow will include talks on a "permanent deal" with Iran.Speaking to reporters, Trump said that the United States is "working on a lot of things" with Israel, including "probably a permanent deal with Iran."The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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