Netanyahu: Truce deal within reach
Published on: Sat, Jul 12, 2025
By: AFP Text Size: A Palestinian inspects the damage at the site of an overnight Israeli strike on the Halima Saadiya school in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli forces were targeting 'terrorist infrastructure' in southern Gaza, the military said Friday, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced hope that an agreement with Hamas could be reached within days for a pause in the 21-month war. Negotiators from Israel and the Palestinian militant group have been locked in indirect talks in Qatar since Sunday to try to agree a temporary ceasefire. Netanyahu said a lasting truce could follow, but only if Hamas lays down its arms and is no longer able to govern or operate in the Gaza Strip. On the ground, Gaza's civil defence agency reported a fresh wave of Israeli strikes, including one that killed five people at a school building sheltering displaced Palestinians. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the agency and other parties. In the south of the territory, a witness said there were ongoing attacks and widespread devastation, with Israeli tanks seen near the city of Khan Yunis. 'The situation remains extremely difficult in the area—intense gunfire, intermittent air strikes, artillery shelling and ongoing bulldozing and destruction of displacement camps and agricultural land' south of Khan Yunis, he added. Israel's military said in a statement that it was operating in the Khan Yunis area against 'terrorist infrastructure sites, both above and below ground'. In Qatar, sticking points remain in the talks, both sides said. Hamas, whose cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the war, has said that as part of a truce deal it was willing to release 10 of the hostages taken that day. In an interview with US outlet Newsmax broadcast on Thursday, Netanyahu said that would leave 10 living hostages still in captivity. 'I hope we can complete it in a few days,' he added of the initial ceasefire agreement and hostage release. 'We'll probably have a 60-day ceasefire, get the first batch out, then use the 60-day ceasefire to negotiate an end to this.' Netanyahu, who was in Washington this week and met Trump twice to discuss the ceasefire proposals, is under pressure at home to end the war because of mounting military casualties. Trump is looking to secure a deal while his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has said it could be concluded by the end of this week. On Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel was ready to start talks for a lasting deal with Hamas when a temporary ceasefire is in place. But he said the Islamist militants must first give up their weapons and their hold on the Palestinian territory. Failure to do so on Israel's terms would lead to further conflict, Netanyahu said. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has also said the Doha talks could take 'a few more days', with unresolved issues including agreement on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for hostages. Hamas has said it wants 'real guarantees' on a lasting truce as well as the free flow of aid to help Gaza's population of more than two million people, who are facing dire humanitarian conditions. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim told AFP on Thursday that his group wanted Israel's full withdrawal from Gaza and would not accept any Israeli moves to herd Palestinians into 'isolated enclaves'. Hamas's October 2023 attack led to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Out of 251 hostages seized in the attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. At least 57,762 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since the start of the war, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
21 minutes ago
- The Sun
Iran raids drone workshop linked to Israeli agents in Tehran
TEHRAN: Iranian security forces raided a suspected drone workshop in the capital Tehran, claiming it was operated by Israeli agents. Authorities released footage showing drone components and explosives seized during the operation. The exact location was not disclosed, but officials confirmed it was within Tehran. This raid follows recent tensions between Iran and Israel, including last month's Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and civilian sites. Iran's Health Ministry reported 606 deaths and 5,332 injuries from those attacks. In retaliation, Tehran launched missile and drone strikes on Israel, resulting in at least 29 fatalities and over 3,400 injuries, according to Hebrew University of Jerusalem data. Earlier in June, Iranian forces had shut down multiple workshops allegedly producing drones for Israel in cities like Tehran and Isfahan. The conflict, which began on June 13, ended under a US-brokered ceasefire on June 24. - Bernama-Anadolu
The Sun
23 minutes ago
- The Sun
Indonesia's new history books spark fears of whitewashing past events
JAKARTA: The Indonesian government's plan to release updated history books has raised concerns among scholars and activists, who fear key events like the 1998 riots targeting ethnic Chinese may be erased. The 10-volume project, commissioned under President Prabowo Subianto, has drawn criticism for potentially glossing over past abuses. Draft summaries seen by AFP show no dedicated section on the 1998 violence, which saw widespread riots, looting, and allegations of mass rape. A brief mention of Suharto's resignation cites student protests as a factor, omitting deeper context. Historian Andi Achdian called the draft 'flawed' and accused it of whitewashing history. Culture Minister Fadli Zon defended the project, telling lawmakers the May 1998 events were 'small' and did not require detailed coverage. However, project editor Jajat Burhanudin contradicted this, stating the final version would include the riots, with the draft serving as a discussion starter. The controversy deepened after Fadli questioned whether mass rapes occurred during the unrest, despite a 1998 fact-finding report documenting at least 52 cases. Amnesty International Indonesia's Usman Hamid warned the project risks 'erasing uncomfortable truths.' Critics argue the government should not dictate historical narratives. Former attorney general Marzuki Darusman cautioned that ignoring past abuses acknowledged by previous administrations undermines accountability. Activist Maria Catarina Sumarsih, whose son died in post-Suharto violence, accused officials of deceiving younger generations. At least one scholar, archaeologist Harry Truman Simanjuntak, resigned over political interference, citing disputes over terminology. Opposition lawmakers and civil groups are calling for the project's suspension, urging historians—not the government—to lead historical documentation. Fadli confirmed the project will proceed, calling it an 'updated version of history' with public debates expected this month. - AFP
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Farm worker dies after US immigration raid in California
CAMARILLO, (United States): A farm worker has died after being injured during a raid by US immigration agents on a legal cannabis farm in California, his family said yesterday (July 12). Raids on agricultural sites Thursday resulted in the arrests of 200 undocumented migrants, as part of US President Donald Trump's wide-ranging anti-immigration crackdown, and clashes between law enforcement officials and protesters. The farm worker's family had started a page on the fundraising platform GoFundMe to help support his relatives in Mexico. On Saturday, the page posted an update to say he had "passed away." Trump campaigned for the presidency on a harsh anti-immigration platform, likening undocumented migrants to "animals" and "monsters," and since taking office he has delivered on promises to conduct a massive deportation drive. On Friday (July 11), he called demonstrators involved in attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents "slimeballs" and said they should be arrested. The chaotic raid on the cannabis plantation in Ventura County, about 56 miles (90 kilometers) from Los Angeles, saw the worker who later died being chased by ICE agents, his family said. "My uncle Jaime was just a hard-working, innocent farmer," said a post on the GoFundMe page. "He was chased by ICE agents, and we were told he fell 30ft (9 meters)." The page described his injuries as "catastrophic." Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokeswoman, said he was never in custody. "Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a green house and fell 30 feet," McLaughlin said. "(Customs and Border Patrol) immediately called a medevac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible." DHS said 200 undocumented migrants were arrested during raids on marijuana growing sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo on Thursday and 10 children were rescued "from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking." Glass House Brands, which owns the farms, said in a statement that it has "never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors." DHS said more than 500 "rioters" had attempted to disrupt the operation and four US citizens are facing charges for assaulting or resisting officers. Tear gas was used against the protesters, some of whom were seen in television footage throwing projectiles at law enforcement vehicles. The department said immigration agency vehicles were damaged and a $50,000 reward was being offered for the arrest of an individual who allegedly fired a gun at law enforcement officers. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had watched footage of "thugs" throwing rocks and bricks at ICE vehicles, causing "tremendous damage." Trump said he was authorizing law enforcement officers who are "on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so." "I am giving Total Authorisation for ICE to protect itself, just like they protect the Public," he said. Trump has been involved in a showdown over immigration enforcement with Democratic-ruled California for weeks. The Republican president sent thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles last month to quell protests against round-ups of undocumented migrants by federal agents. California Governor Gavin Newsom has said the troops were not necessary to address the mostly peaceful protests, but his legal efforts to have them removed have failed so far. The cannabis farm in Camarillo was calm during a visit by an AFP reporter on Friday, as workers waited in line to collect their belongings and paychecks. "We've been here since six this morning asking questions but they're not giving us any information," said Saul Munoz, a 43-year-old Colombian whose son was detained on Thursday. "I just want to know how he's doing," Munoz said. "Bring him back to me and if it's time for us to leave, we'll leave. "The truth is the American dream is no longer really the American dream." — AFP
