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7 days ago
- Politics
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Gaza awaits peace: First round of ceasefire talks end in Qatar; Israel, Hamas stay divided
The first round of Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar ends with no breakthrough as Israel and Hamas remain steadfast on their stances. The world will now look at the Trump-Netanyahu meeting in Washington, DC. read more This picture taken from the grounds of the Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as the Maamadani (Baptist) Hospital, shows a cloud of smoke erupting following Israeli bombardment on a building in the Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City on May 31, 2025. (AFP) The latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas resumed and shortly ended without a breakthrough, a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiation confirmed. The official told the BBC that the session lasted for nearly three and a half hours and took place at two separate buildings in Doha. Both the Israeli and Hamas side shared their message and clarifications through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. However, no progress was achieved during the negotiation phase. It is pertinent to note that talks were held at a time when Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington, DC to meet US President Donald Trump. The Gaza ceasefire is most likely to be a topic of discussion between the two leaders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, the Palestinian official noted that the second round of talks is expected to resume on Monday as mediators plan to hold separate meetings with each delegation to overcome obstacles and narrow the gaps between the two sides. The prologue to the talks On Sunday, Israel dispatched a negotiating team to Qatar for indirect talks with Hamas focused on a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Hamas, in turn, proposed three key amendments to the US- and Israel-backed ceasefire framework. This included: Continuation of talks until a permanent ceasefire is reached. Full presumption of humanitarian aid via UN-backed agencies. Israel's withdrawal to the pre-March ceasefire position. In response to this, Israel's Prime Minister's Office declared these Hamas demands 'unacceptable' but proceeded with the delegation's departure. The current US and Israel-backed ceasefire proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire, staged release of hostages (10 live and 18 deceased), and increased humanitarian aid. Israel has been adamant about a phased approach without guarantees of a permanent truce, wary of Hamas maintaining control over Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel's PM is also facing domestic pressure from his far-right allies as he heads to the US. Several Israeli far-right politicians have been opposing the ceasefire, something they did before as well. How the recent talks went down While speaking to Reuters, two other Palestinian officials noted that the Israeli delegation was not 'sufficiently authorised' to reach an agreement with Hamas because it had 'no real powers'. Netanyahu, on the other hand, thinks his meeting with Trump should help progress efforts to reach a deal for the release of more hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. The Qatari and Egyptian officials noted that for now, Hamas still seems to be holding out for essentially the same conditions it has previously insisted on - including a guarantee of an end to all hostilities at the end of any truce and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. However, the Israeli delegation outrightly rejected the amendments during the talks. While speaking to the reporters before heading to the US, Netanyahu made his stance on the matter extremely clear. 'The release and return of all the hostages, the living and the fallen; the destruction of Hamas's capabilities - to kick it out of there, and to ensure that Gaza will no longer constitute a threat to Israel,' the Israeli premier averred. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Things became more complicated as Israel resumed its offensive against Hamas with great intensity. They imposed an eleven-week blockade on aid entering Gaza, which was partially lifted several weeks ago. Just in the past 24 hours, the Israeli military said that it has struck 130 Hamas targets and killed several militants. The Israeli government argued that these measures are aimed at further weakening Hamas and forcing it to negotiate and free the hostages. Overall, the question now is not only whether the talks in Qatar can achieve their goals, but also whether Trump can persuade Netanyahu that the war must come to an end at their meeting on Monday.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Who Went to Saudi Arabia With Trump?
When U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday morning to kick off a four-day tour of the Middle East, he brought a large delegation that included senior figures from his administration and the business world. Trump was greeted with all the pomp of a royal welcome as he was met by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while disembarking from Air Force One to the sound of fanfare. Among the top Trump Administration officials who joined the trip were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX, who has been advising the White House on federal spending cuts, was also there. Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang were also among the many guests from the business world in Saudi. This is a developing article and more information will be added soon. Related Articles Gulf Leaders Court Trump With Big Deals as Skeptics Question MotivesHouthis Send Warning on Trump Middle East VisitWhat Cracks in Trump-Netanyahu Ties Could Mean for US Support of IsraelIran Lawmaker Urges Nuclear Breakout if US Talks Fail 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
