Latest news with #Hamas.
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Trump Says 10 Israeli Hostages To Be Released From Gaza ‘Very Shortly' Gaza Ceasefire
Ten more hostages will be released from Gaza 'very shortly', Donald Trump said at the White House Friday. The news comes as the president continues to push for a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.'We got most of the hostages back. We're going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly,' Trump said during a dinner with Republican senators. He also praised his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff as 'fantastic'. Source: Reuters News18 Mobile App -
Saudi Gazette
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Netanyahu visits US as Trump puts pressure to agree Gaza ceasefire deal
WASHINGTON — After 21 months of war, there are growing hopes of a new Gaza ceasefire announcement as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets US President Donald Trump in Washington. Trump previously told reporters he had been "very firm" with Netanyahu about ending the conflict and that he thought "we'll have a deal" this week. "We are working to achieve the deal that has been discussed, under the conditions we have agreed," the veteran Israeli PM said before boarding his plane. "I believe that the conversation with President Trump can definitely help advance this outcome, which we all hope for." Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on a US-sponsored proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release deal resumed in Qatar on Sunday evening. However, it is unclear whether key differences that have consistently held up an agreement can be overcome. Only cautious optimism is being expressed by weary Palestinians living in dire conditions amid continuing daily Israeli bombardment, and the distressed families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas."I don't wish for a truce but a complete stop to all war. Frankly, I'm afraid that after 60 days the war would restart again," says Nabil Abu Dayah, who fled from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza to Gaza City with his children and grandchildren."We got so tired of displacement, we got tired of thirst and hunger, from living in tents. When it comes to life's necessities, we have zero."On Saturday evening, large rallies took place urging Israel's government to seal a deal to return some 50 hostages from Gaza, up to 20 of whom are believed to be relatives questioned why the framework deal would not free all captives immediately."How does one survive under such conditions? I'm waiting for Evyatar to return and tell me himself," said Ilay David, whose younger brother, a musician, was filmed by Hamas in torment as he watched fellow hostages being released earlier this year during the last, two-month-long ceasefire."This is the time to save lives. This is the time to rescue the bodies from the threat of disappearance," Ilay told a crowd in Jerusalem."In the rapidly changing reality of the Middle East, this is the moment to sign a comprehensive agreement that will lead to the release of all the hostages, every single one, without exception."Netanyahu is visiting the White House for the third time since Trump returned to power nearly six months the leaders will be meeting for the first time since the US joined Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites and then brokered a ceasefire between Israel and is a strong sense that the recent 12-day war has created more favourable circumstances to end the Gaza months of low popularity ratings, the Israeli PM has been bolstered by broad public support for the Iran offensive and analysts suggest he now has more leverage to agree to a peace deal over the strong objections of his far-right coalition partners, who want Israel to remain in control of is seen to have been further weakened by the strikes on Iran — a key regional patron — meaning it could also be more amenable to making concessions needed to reach an Trump is keen to move on to other priorities in the Middle include brokering border talks between Israel and Syria, returning to efforts to normalise relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and completing unfinished business with Iran, involving possible negotiations on a new nuclear months, ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have been deadlocked over one fundamental has been ready to commit to a temporary truce to return hostages but not an end to the war. Hamas has demanded a permanent cessation of hostilities in Gaza and a full pullout of Israeli latest proposal put to Hamas is said to include guarantees of Washington's commitment to the deal and to continued talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and the release of all the has been officially announced, but according to media reports the framework would see Hamas hand over 28 hostages — 10 alive and 18 dead — in five stages over 60 days without the troubling handover ceremonies it staged in the last would be a large surge in humanitarian aid entering the return of the first eight living hostages on the first day of the agreement, Israeli forces would withdraw from parts of the north. After one week, the army would leave parts of the Day 10, Hamas would outline which hostages remain alive and their condition, while Israel would give details about more than 2,000 Gazans arrested during the war who remain in "administrative detention" — a practice which allows the Israeli authorities to hold them without charge or seen before, large numbers of Palestinians would be released from Israeli jails in exchange for Trump has described this as the "final" truce proposal and said last week that Israel had accepted "the necessary conditions" to finalise Friday, Hamas said it had responded in a "positive spirit" but expressed some reservations.A Palestinian official said sticking points remained over humanitarian aid — with Hamas demanding an immediate end to operations by the controversial Israeli and American-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and a return to the UN and its partners overseeing all relief is also said to be questioning the timetable for Israeli troop withdrawals and operations of the Rafah crossing between southern Gaza and office stated on Saturday that the changes wanted by Hamas were "not acceptable" to prime minister has repeatedly said that Hamas must be disarmed, a demand the Islamist group has so far refused to Israel, there is growing opposition to the war in Gaza, with more than 20 soldiers killed in the past month, according to the Israeli military's chief of staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, said last week that it was nearing the completion of its war goals and signalled that the government must decide whether to move ahead with a deal to bring home hostages or prepare for Israeli forces to re-establish military rule in indicate that two-thirds of Israelis support a ceasefire deal to bring home the Gaza, some residents express fears that the current wave of positivity is being manufactured to ease tensions during Netanyahu's US trip — rationalising that this happened in May as Trump prepared to visit Arab Gulf coming days will be critical politically and in humanitarian situation in Gaza has continued to deteriorate, with medical staff reporting acute malnutrition among UN says that with no fuel having entered in over four months, stockpiles are now virtually gone, threatening vital medical care, water supplies and launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken attacks have since killed more than 57,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties. — BBC
Memri
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Article In Qatari Government Daily: Muhammad Sinwar Was A Great And Daring Fighter – It Is Enough That He Was October 7 'Mastermind'
The Qatari government press continues to declare its full-throated support for Hamas and its terrorist activities against Israel, especially for its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were taken hostage. This approach is in line with Qatar's unconditional support for its protégé Hamas.[1] One expression of this support was an article published June 8, 2025 by the Qatari Al-Raya government daily. In it, senior writer Babiker Issa[2] praised Muhammad Sinwar, a top official of the Hamas military wing, the 'Izz Ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, and one of the planners of the October 7 attack. Sinwar, killed recently in the Gaza Strip, was the brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in October 2024. Under the headline "Sinwar – Icon of the Palestinian Resistance," Issa called Muhammad Sinwar "a daring fighter" and "an honorable and great warrior." He went on to describe him as "an icon of the national struggle on the land of Palestine and in Gaza," and as "the planner and the mastermind – with his comrades the fighters – of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023… which restored to the Palestinian issue its brilliance and its glory." Also in his article, Issa placed Muhammad Sinwar alongside prominent historical figures such as the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus Christ, freedom fighters such as Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela, and PLO leaders such as Yasser Arafat and his deputy Abu Jihad, who had headed the Fatah military wing and was responsible for the murder of dozens of Israelis in numerous terrorist attacks in the 1970s and 1980s. Muhammad Sinwar (Source: May 25, 2025) The following are excerpts from Babiker Issa's June 8, 2025 article in the Qatari Al-Raya government daily: Beginning his article with an extensive list of prominent figures who changed history, from Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad to the 20th century and "great and honorable fighters" such as Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and others, Issa went on to state: "...What led me to the biographies of these esteemed fighters who sacrificed the best of their lives for the sake of their country is the story of the daring fighter Muhammad Sinwar (1975-2025), in whom I see, according to every criterion, an icon of the national struggle on the exalted land of Palestine and in Gaza of steadfastness. "It is enough that this great and honorable warrior was the planner and the mastermind – along with his comrades the fighters – of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023, which restored to the world the sanity that was absent and was stolen from it, and which restored to the Palestinian issue the brilliance and glory that was stolen from it. This was in spite of the excessive sacrifices [that resulted from the operation] and the attempts at exiling and erasing [the Palestinians] from human existence. "When I think of [Muhammad] Sinwar, who frightened his hangmen [i.e. the Israelis] even after his death, I think of a deceased leader: Yasser Arafat (1929-2004), a national symbol and a charismatic figure who combined diplomatic activity with the armed struggle, and of his fortunate comrades, several of whom I had the opportunity to meet. I recall George Habash (1926-2008), founder of the Popular Front [for the Liberation of Palestine], aka 'the doctor,' one of the most influential leaders in Palestinian revolutionary thought. [I recall] the fighter Khalil Al-Wazir (Abu Jihad, 1935-1988), architect of the first Intifada, who was killed by the Mossad in Tunisia. [I recall] the fighter Salah Khalaf Abu Iyad (1933-1991), one of the most prominent leaders of Fatah and head of internal security in the PLO..."[3]
India Today
27-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Hamas or hostages? Israel faces tough choice amid international pressure
On May 26, yet another attempt at a ceasefire in Gaza ended abruptly after Israel and Hamas refused to accept a deal that could have ended the misery of people in Gaza. Even if temporarily, it would have ushered in critical food, water, and medical aid for the starving and dying Witkoff, the US Envoy for the Middle East, outlined the offer, which stated that Israel would agree to a temporary ceasefire that would see half of the living and deceased hostages return and lead to substantive negotiations to find a path to a permanent ceasefire. The deal would see around 10 living hostages and 10 bodies of hostages, along with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, released in two stages during a roughly two-month ceasefire. In the meantime, Israel and Hamas could have negotiated the terms of a permanent offer, however, found no takers. Meanwhile, death and misery in Gaza continue. In a fresh push towards eliminating the threat of Hamas, on May 16, Israel launched Operation Gideon's Chariots — a reference to a biblical warrior. The campaign is aiming 'to achieve all the goals of the war in Gaza, including the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.'Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Effie Defrin stated, 'During the operation, we will increase and expand our operational control in the Gaza Strip, including segmenting the territory and moving the population for their protection in all the areas in which we operate.' On May 18, over 100 people were killed in Gaza in one night in an extensive ground operation coupled with an intense air and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire just before Donald Trump took office as the US President in January 2025. The truce, which came into effect on January 16, lasted till March 18, when Israel unilaterally broke out of it, launching airstrikes and subsequently moving ground forces back into Gaza. A complete blockade was enforced along with the renewed offensive, restricting the movement of any food, water, or medical per Gaza's Health Ministry, 3,785 people have been killed since Israel ended a ceasefire in March, bringing the death toll to at least 53,900, with over 1,22,500 wounded. As per estimates, over 70 per cent of these are women and children, including infants. This has led to a global outcry. On the other hand, of the 251 Israeli hostages taken on October 7, 2023, Hamas still holds 58. These include the bodies of at least 35 confirmed dead by Israel, and at least 20 are believed to be dilemma: Hostages or Hamas?As Israel's fresh offensive takes shape, the deteriorating condition of the remaining hostages is a concern. At home, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from the families of hostages. Hamas has repeatedly refused to release any more hostages until Israel agrees to a permanent end to the war and withdraws forces from Gaza. Israel, on the other hand, insists on the complete surrender of Hamas, including the demilitarisation of Gaza and removal of Hamas from any future governance Israeli forces continued their hunt for Hamas, they scored a major tactical victory on May 13, when they eliminated Muhammad Sinwar, its de facto chief in Gaza and the brother of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' military chief who was killed last repeated military successes, however, Israel is nowhere near achieving its military goals. Reports of Hamas recruiting fresh cadres in hundreds and rearming them are also a matter of concern. With Hamas not relenting and the number of living hostages shrinking by the day, Israel faces a huge dilemma: to choose between getting the remaining hostages out at the earliest or risking their lives to finish Hamas forever. Meanwhile, with increasing reports of starvation and mass killings in Gaza, there is greater pressure on Israel to call off the war at the international pressureFollowing the start of Operation Gideon's Chariots, Israel began facing unprecedented pressure from its allies. The UK, Canada, and France have threatened sanctions. On May 19, the UK's Keir Starmer, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Canada's Mark Carney issued a joint statement condemning Israel's handling of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and called on it to immediately halt military action in the enclave and allow in more aid. They threatened 'further concrete actions in response' if Israel refuses. Netanyahu was quick to say that the three countries were 'on the wrong side of history'. The European Union, Israel's biggest trade partner, is reviewing its landmark Association May 25, Spain, which has been vocal in its opposition to Israel's military campaign in Gaza, held the fifth official meeting of the Madrid Group, a group comprising key European and Arab nations, which called on the international community to impose sanctions on Israel to force it to stop its war in it is the support from its key ally, the US, which is starting to become a concern for Israel. The alliance with the US, which has always stood strong, is on shaky ground in light of the increasing casualties and continuing deaths due to starvation, especially those of fact that Donald Trump visited the region earlier this month — his first foreign visit after taking over as the president — did not include Israel is a statement in itself. The ongoing US-Iran nuclear talks, despite strong opposition from Israel, are also a sign of discord. Trump and Netanyahu have reportedly engaged in verbal spats over the Iran nuclear deal. Although the US continues its support to Israel in the supply of military aid, increasing international opposition to its military operations in Gaza means that Israel is largely left to fight this battle on its Operation Sindoor wayThe war in Gaza has been going on for 20 months and shows no signs of relenting. Israel may have to conduct a hard internal has already achieved more than it set out to on October 7, 2023. Hamas has been severely degraded and its top political and military leadership wiped out. Hezbollah has been brought to its knees with the entire top leadership eliminated and military capability severely crippled. With the Al Sharra government in place in Syria, Israel has made considerable gains in securing key territory for itself to create a buffer from any ISIS-type threat. Iran, which is the chief benefactor of proxy groups operating against Israel, too, is weakened and is unlikely to pose any serious threat calling off the war from the current position of a huge military advantage should be the preferred option for Israel instead of fighting an endless battle. In an opinion poll published by Israel's Channel 12 broadcaster earlier this month, 61 per cent favoured ending the war for a deal securing hostages, while only 25 per cent supported the expanded military should take a leaf out of the Indian playbook in the recently-conducted Operation Sindoor against terror infrastructure in Pakistan. Having delivered crushing blows, both to the terrorists and the Pakistani military, India agreed to an early ceasefire instead of getting bogged down in a battle of attrition. Israel could think of something similar now and get back the remaining hostages. If Hamas threatens to manifest again in the future, it can then be taken out before it harms Israel, a battle left to be fought another day.(Col Rajeev Agarwal is a Foreign Policy Expert and a Senior Research Consultant at Chintan Research Foundation, New Delhi)(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Trending Reel
Saudi Gazette
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Netanyahu says Israel will control all of Gaza Strip at end of current military offensive
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that the war on Gaza will persist until Hamas is disarmed and the Palestinian territory is entirely under Israeli control. The Israeli premier laid out some of his conditions to bring the war that started in October 2023 to an end. 'I am ready to end the war but with clear conditions that will ensure Israel's security. All the hostages return home, Hamas hands over its weapons and leaves power,' said Netanyahu at a press conference in Jerusalem. Netanyahu noted that Hamas' leadership must all leave Gaza and Israel must ensure that the enclave is free of weapons. He also asserted that after all these conditions are met, Israel will move ahead and proceed with Trump's proposed plan for the future of Gaza. 'We [will] implement (President) Trump's plan, it is a good plan and makes a difference and it means something very simple, that the residents of Gaza who want to leave can leave.' Trump had previously floated the idea of resettling all of Gaza's population in order for the US to 'take ownership' of the land. The proposal was met with widespread regional and international disapproval, with many countries insisting that Gaza is Palestinian and should remain for the also noted that he is open to a temporary truce with Hamas to release the remaining hostages. The Israeli leader added that Israeli intelligence suggests that 20 of the remaining 58 hostages still under Hamas captivity are believed to be also slammed countries who've been calling out Israel over its actions and operations in Gaza. He stressed that the war will only end when Hamas is fully dismantled, adding that their disapproval of Israel's war amounts to support for Hamas.'Anyone who calls us to end the war right before us achieving these goals, is actually calling for keeping Hamas in power.'On Tuesday, the UK suspended free trade talks with Israel over its intensifying assault as the UK, Canada and France promised 'concrete' steps to prompt Israel to halt the European Union was also reviewing an EU pact governing trade ties with Israel over its conduct of the war, according to its foreign policy voiced his opposition to the recent developments.'I think this is a disgrace that Britain, instead of imposing sanctions on Hamas, imposes sanctions on a woman who is threatened daily on the roads of Judia and Samaria (the West Bank) by Hamas terrorists."He also stated that US President Donald Trump remains on his side, laying rumours over a fractured relationship with Washington to rest.'Several days ago, maybe 10 days ago, or more, I spoke with Trump on the phone, and he told me, Bibi, I want you to know that I have an absolute commitment to you and I have an absolute commitment to Israel,' added says it is prepared to release the hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from the territory and an end to the war. It however rejects demands for exile and disarmament. — Euronews
