Trump to hold fresh talks with Netanyahu to end Gaza 'tragedy
The dramatic push came as Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said he hoped for an agreement on an elusive 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas by the end of the week.
Trump said the second meeting in two days between the US and Israeli leaders - after he hosted Netanyahu at the White House on Monday - reflected that all sides wanted to reach an agreement.
"It's a tragedy, and he (Netanyahu) wants to get it solved, and I want to get it solved, and I think the other side wants to," Trump told reporters at a cabinet meeting.
Netanyahu, who was also meeting congressional leaders during his third trip to Washington since Trump returned to power, is due to meet Trump again at 4.30 pm, the Israeli prime minister's office said.
Trump has strongly backed Netanyahu, especially over the recent Iran-Israel war, but has also been stepping up the pressure to end what he calls the "hell" in Gaza.
Qatar however said Tuesday more time was needed for negotiations for a breakthrough between Israel and Hamas, as indirect negotiations extended into a third day in Doha.
"I don't think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this," Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said.
"HOPEFUL"
Qatar, a mediator along with the United States and Egypt, said the meetings in Doha were focused on a framework for the talks, while a Palestinian official close to the negotiations said no breakthrough had been achieved so far.
But Witkoff, who is set to join the talks in Doha this week, was upbeat.
"We are hopeful that by end of this week we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire," Witkoff said at Trump's cabinet meeting.
"Ten live hostages will be released. Nine deceased will be released."
On the ground, five Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza - one of the deadliest days this year for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory.
Gaza's civil defence, meanwhile, reported 29 killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday, including three children.
Israel and Hamas began the latest round of negotiations on Sunday, with representatives seated in separate rooms within the same building.
An Israeli official accompanying Netanyahu to Washington said the proposal under discussion was "80-90 per cent of what Israel wanted".
But far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opposed negotiations with Hamas, saying that "there is no need to negotiate with those who murder our fighters; they must be torn to shreds."
"DIFFICULT MORNING"
Netanyahu described the loss of five soldiers in Gaza as a "difficult morning." They were reportedly killed by improvised explosive devices near Beit Hanun in northern Gaza.
According to the Israeli military, 450 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza military campaign.
The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for Gaza's more than two million people.
Netanyahu said as he met Trump on Monday that Israel and the United States were close to a deal with neighbouring countries on taking in Palestinians in Gaza, though Arab countries have rejected such plans.
Earlier this year, Trump proposed taking over the Gaza Strip and displacing its people, though he has been quieter on the plan in recent months.
"I think President Trump had a brilliant vision. It's called free choice. If people want to stay (in Gaza), they can stay; but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave," Netanyahu said.
The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Of 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during an attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27, the Israeli military says, are dead.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,575 people in Gaza, many of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asia News Network
an hour ago
- Asia News Network
25％ tariff would be blow to Japanese economy; major exporters foresee drastically reduced profits
July 10, 2025 TOKYO – The tariff rates for 'reciprocal tariffs' that U.S. President Donald Trump notified Japan of were raised slightly after three months of negotiations between Japan and the United States. The Japanese government aims to reach an agreement by Aug. 1, the new deadline for negotiations set by the U.S. side, but there are no signs of reaching an agreement. There are growing concerns that the prolongation of negotiations will have a greater impact on the Japanese economy. Largest export destination Following the U.S. notification, economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief negotiator for the tariff issue, held 40-minute telephone talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday afternoon. 'The U.S side has proposed to proceed with talks with Japan swiftly toward Aug. 1,' Akazawa told reporters after the phone talks, emphasizing his intention to reach an agreement with the United States as soon as possible. According to Finance Ministry trade statistics, exports to the Untied States totaled ¥21.6 trillion in fiscal 2024, or about 20% of the nation's exports of ¥108.9 trillion in the fiscal year. This means that the United States is Japan's largest export destination, surpassing China at ¥18.9 trillion. The reciprocal tariffs cover a wide range of export products, including electronics products and precision machines, areas in which Japan holds competitive edges. Such products are estimated to account for about 50% of Japan's exports to the United States. If the tariff rate of 25% is imposed, the impact on the Japanese economy will be enormous. Production transfer in sight Japanese companies that had been hoping for a lower tariff rate than initially announced are expressing disappointment. 'We will proceed with cost reductions, but price increases in the United States will be inevitable,' a Yamaha Motor Co. spokesman said, lamenting the situation. The company's main product, outboard motors, is subject to reciprocal tariffs. The company had estimated that its operating profit for the business year ending December 2025 would be reduced by about ¥45 billion if the tariff rate of 24% had been applied from July. A high percentage of Japan's construction machinery is exported to the United States. Komatsu Ltd., a major construction machinery manufacturer, had also projected a cost increase of ¥78 billion for the business year ending March 2026. Kubota Corp., which exports tractors and other products to the United States, estimates that a 10% reciprocal tariff rate would reduce its operating profit by about ¥40 billion in the business year ending December 2025. A spokesman for another construction machinery manufacturer said the company would have to consider shifting some of its production to the United States. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has been engaged in negotiations with the United States with the priority of lowering automobile tariffs, aiming to reach an agreement by Wednesday. Automobiles and automobile parts account for about 30% of Japan's exports to the United States. However, as negotiations still continue, the 25% additional tariffs on automobiles will remain in place. The Trump administration has imposed uniform tariffs on automobiles, except for those from the United Kingdom. In a deal reached after negotiations, the United States has lowered to the tariff rate on U.K. automobiles to 10% in exchange for restrictions on export volumes. Trump has repeatedly stated that automobile trade between Japan and the United States is 'unfair,' and a letter he sent to give notice of the latest tariff also indicates that Japan's request for a lower automobile tariff will not be easily granted. GDP decline It is highly possible that the 25% reciprocal tariffs and prolonged Japan-U.S. negotiations will have a negative impact on the whole Japanese economy. Kazuki Fujimoto, a researcher at Japan Research Institute, Ltd., estimates that a 25% reciprocal tariff would reduce Japan's exports to the United States by ¥4.4 trillion to ¥6.5 trillion per year and cut operating profits of exporting companies by up to 26%. According to Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd., the U.S. tariff measures, including the 25% reciprocal tariff, are expected to reduce real GDP by 1.3% in 2025. Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at Nomura Research Institute, Ltd., notes, 'If reciprocal tariffs are raised to 25%, the probability of the Japanese economy entering a mild recessionary phase by next year will exceed 50%.' Trump dissatisfied with talks U.S. President Donald Trump is apparently growing increasingly frustrated with the deadlock in trade negotiations. With his unilateral announcement of new tariff rates on U.S. trading partners, including Japan, he is stepping up pressure to extract further concessions from other countries. Trump, who views the trade deficit as a major problem, imposed 'reciprocal tariffs' in April with the aim of reviving U.S. manufacturing and correcting trade imbalances. The imposition of the additional tariffs was suspended for 90 days, with the anticipation of concluding favorable trade agreements. In an interview with U.S. publication Time magazine, released at the end of April, Trump said he believed negotiations would be concluded within three to four weeks. White House officials also expressed confidence that they would reach 90 agreements in 90 days. However, three months after negotiations began, the United States has only concluded agreements with Britain and Vietnam. Trump seems particularly dissatisfied with negotiations with Japan. Initially, Japan was a top priority, and Trump hoped to use the conclusion of an agreement with Japan to showcase his administration's achievement. However, Japan has not been as willing to compromise as expected on certain issues, such as on automobile tariffs, and negotiations have been deadlocked. With negotiations making little progress, Trump grew increasingly frustrated and reiterated his dissatisfaction with Japan's automobile trade policy in an interview with broadcaster Fox News on June 29, saying, 'It's not fair.' On July 1, Trump said an agreement with Japan was uncertain and hinted at the possibility of imposing 30% to 35% tariffs. The 25% tariff rate exceeds the 24% announced in April, likely indicating a tough stance toward Japan.
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
EU says Israel has agreed to 'expand' Gaza aid access
BRUSSELS: The European Union on Thursday (Jul 10) struck a deal with Israel to increase aid access to Gaza that should see more food trucks entering and the opening of additional crossing points, the bloc's top diplomat said. "Today, we reached an agreement with Israel to expand humanitarian access to Gaza," European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X. "This deal means more crossings open, aid and food trucks entering Gaza, repair of vital infrastructure and protection of aid workers. We count on Israel to implement every measure agreed," Kallas added. Gaza's two million residents are facing dire humanitarian conditions as Israel has severely limited aid during its devastating war with Hamas. In a statement, Kallas said that the measures agreed by Israel "are or will be implemented in the coming days, with the common understanding that aid at scale must be delivered directly to the population". She said the steps included a "substantial increase of daily trucks for food and non- food items" going into Gaza, the opening of several more crossing points in both the northern and southern areas, and the reopening of routes from Jordan and Egypt. "The EU stands ready to coordinate with all relevant humanitarian stakeholders, UN agencies and NGOs on the ground, to ensure swift implementation of those urgent steps," the statement said. The move comes as Israel and Hamas continue to haggle over the details of a US-backed ceasefire deal to halt the war. The EU has been weighing taking measures against Israel after finding it in breach of a cooperation deal between the two sides because of its actions in Gaza. But the 27-nation bloc has struggled to find consensus on what steps to take as it is divided between staunch supporters of Israel and countries backing the Palestinians. The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants attacked Israeli border communities on Oct 7, 2023, leading to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians. Israel's retaliatory strikes have killed at least 57,680 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Trump presses African leaders to take deported migrants, sources say
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox U.S. President Donald Trump hosts a lunch for African leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque MONROVIA - The Trump administration this week pressed five African presidents to take in migrants from other countries when they are deported by the U.S., two officials familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Thursday. The plan was presented to the presidents of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon during their visit to the White House on Wednesday, according to a U.S. and a Liberian official who both asked not to be named. The White House and official spokespeople for the five nations did not respond to requests for comment. It was not immediately clear if any of the countries had agreed to the plan. Since returning to office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has been pressing to speed up deportations, including by sending migrants to third countries when there are problems or delays over sending them to their home nations. On Saturday, eight migrants - from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan and Vietnam, according to their lawyers - arrived in South Sudan's capital after they lost a legal battle to halt their transfer. Wednesday's meeting at the White House had been organised partly to talk about the deportation plan, the U.S. official said. Liberia's government was "preparing to accommodate" an effort to house migrants in its capital Monrovia, the U.S. official added. The Liberian official confirmed that the deportation plan was a focus of Wednesday's meeting, but did not say whether Liberian President Joseph Boakai had agreed to it. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business S'pore to launch new grant for companies, expand support for workers amid US tariff uncertainties Singapore PAP appoints new heads of backbench parliamentary committees Singapore Singaporean fugitive charged over alleged drug trafficking, faces death penalty if convicted Singapore KTPH trials 'smart diapers' for adult patients to help prevent skin conditions, relieve burden on nurses World 'Do some homework': 6 key exchanges between US Senator Duckworth and S'pore envoy nominee Sinha Sport No pain, no gain for Singapore's water polo teams at the world championships Singapore New regional centre for sustainable aviation in Asia-Pacific launched in Singapore Multimedia 60 objects to mark SG60: Which is your favourite? The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that an internal State Department document sent to the African governments before the meeting called on them to agree to the "dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States" of third country nationals. Under the proposed plan, the governments would agree not to send the migrants "to their home country or country of former habitual residence until a final decision has been made" on their U.S. asylum bids, according to the report. Reuters has not seen a copy of the State Department document and could not confirm its contents. In public comments at Wednesday's meeting, Trump told the five leaders he was shifting the U.S. approach to Africa from aid to trade, and that the United States was a better partner than China. "I hope we can bring down the high rates of people overstaying visas, and also make progress on the safe third country agreements," Trump added. He was accompanied by Massad Boulos, senior adviser for Africa, and aide Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner. REUTERS
