Hamas Says Responded To Latest Gaza Ceasefire Proposal
Mediators have been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas negotiators in the Qatari capital Doha for more than two weeks but the indirect talks have so far failed to yield an elusive truce.
International criticism is growing over the plight of the more than two million Palestinian civilians in Gaza, where more than 100 aid and rights groups have warned that "mass starvation" is spreading.
Palestinian militant group Hamas said in a statement on Telegram that it has "just submitted its response and that of the Palestinian factions to the ceasefire proposal to the mediators".
A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed it had received the response.
"It is currently being evaluated," it added.
Hamas's response included proposed amendments to clauses on the entry of aid, maps of areas from which the Israeli army should withdraw, and guarantees on securing a permanent end to the war, according to a Palestinian source familiar with the ongoing talks.
Through 21 months of fighting, both sides have clung to long-held positions, preventing two short-lived truces from being converted into a lasting ceasefire.
The indirect talks in Doha began on July 6 to try to reach an agreement on a truce deal that would also see the release of Israeli hostages.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
But the talks have dragged on without a breakthrough, with each side blaming the other for refusing to budge on their key demands.
For Israel, dismantling Hamas's military and governing capabilities is non-negotiable, while Hamas demands firm guarantees on a lasting truce, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and the free flow of aid into Gaza.
With pressure for a breakthrough mounting, Washington said top envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Europe this week for talks on a ceasefire and aid corridor.
The World Health Organization's chief warned on Wednesday of widespread starvation in Gaza, saying food deliveries into the territory were "far below what is needed for the survival of the population".
"A large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving. I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation -- and it's man-made," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.
France warned of a growing "risk of famine" caused by "the blockade imposed by Israel".
Israel has rejected accusations that it is responsible for Gaza's deepening hunger crisis, instead accusing Hamas of preventing supplies from being distributed and looting aid for themselves or to sell at inflated prices.
Israel has also maintained that it is allowing aid into the Palestinian territory but that international agencies were failing to pick it up for distribution.
COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, said on Thursday that around 70 food trucks had been unloaded at aid crossings the previous day.
"Over 150 were collected by the UN and international organisations from the Gazan side, but over 800 still await pick up," it said in a post on X.
Aid agencies have said permissions from Israel are still limited, and coordination to safely move trucks to where they are needed is a major challenge in an active war zone.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said that, in coordination with the UN children's agency UNICEF, trucks carrying medicines and medical supplies were scheduled to enter hospitals on Thursday.
Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,219 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The World Health Organization's chief on Wednesday warned of widespread starvation in Gaza AFP More than 100 aid and rights groups have warned that 'mass starvation' is spreading across the population of more than two million AFP
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DW
8 minutes ago
- DW
Recognizing Palestine would deepen French Muslim-Jewish rift – DW – 08/01/2025
President Emmanuel Macron's announced intention to recognize a Palestinian state has sharply divided French politicians. France's Jewish and Muslim communities also fear it could drive them even further apart. Mohammed Iriqat has witnessed first-hand France's shifting stance on the crisis in the Gaza Strip, from the taunts he once received for wearing a kaffiyeh, a scarf symbolizing Palestinian solidarity, to being part of widespread protests as the devastating war in the Palestinian enclave grinds on. Now, the Paris-based Palestinian law student is experiencing yet another shift after President Emmanuel Macron announced on July 24 that France will recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September. "It's very symbolic, but ultimately important," Iriqat, 30, said of the statehood recognition, even as he prefers tougher options like boycotts and sanctions against Israel. Still, he added that the move "will build on others for a new era." Iriqat's response echoes the fractured reaction in France to Macron's statehood announcement, which has sharply divided France's political class and deepened tensions between its Jewish and Muslim communities, Western Europe's largest. Both have seen a sharp uptick in attacks since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted nearly two years ago. Even with a split on the statehood recognition, both faiths also worry their fraying ties may further erode. "The war has ended many relationships, both among leaders and among the population," Gerard Unger, vice president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF), told DW. "The two sides hardly speak anymore. Each side is aware that if they do, each will declare it's a victim." The CRIF is among those blasting Macron's declaration, alongside French conservative and far-right politicians. In a statement, the Jewish group called it a "moral fault, a diplomatic error and a political danger." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Macron isn't respecting his own engagements," said Unger. He noted that the French president earlier set still-unmet conditions for recognizing Palestinian statehood, including the release of Israeli hostages and the "demilitarization" of Hamas, an Islamist militant group which Israel, the European Union, the United States and others have designated as a terrorist organization. "That explains the Jewish community's anger and disappointment." Other prominent Jewish figures are also sharply critical. "It's an opportunistic decision," lawyer Arno Klarsfeld, son of famous Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld, told France's conservative CNews TV. "It cements the divorce with the Jewish community in France, considerably chills relations with Israel and the United States and reinforces Hamas." Not surprisingly, many of France's Muslim leaders and leftist parties have broadly saluted the president's move. "Mr. Macron's decision has been received with great satisfaction and joy," said Abdallah Zekri, vice president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith. "We hope it will translate to reality in September, without any preconditions." Few dispute that Macron's statehood declaration marks a diplomatic U-turn. Two weeks after the Hamas-led attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, the French president was in Jerusalem pledging "unconditional support" for Israel, calling for an international coalition to fight Hamas. Last year, he led a ceremony for French victims of the Hamas assault, calling it "the largest antisemitic attack of our century." But Macron reportedly has been shaken by Gaza's escalating humanitarian crisis and Israel's ongoing military campaign. The conflict in Gaza has killed more than 62,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the enclave, and many currently suffer from widespread famine. In June, France shut down several Israeli weapons stands at the Paris Air Show for refusing to remove attack arms in their display, sparking Israeli fury. Then came Macron's announced intention to recognize Palestinian statehood, a move Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized by saying it "rewards terror." Undeterred, France, along with Saudi Arabia, co-hosted a UN conference in New York on July 28 calling for a two-state solution. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Polls suggest that a majority of French people support the idea. But a June survey from the French Institute of Public Opinion, sponsored by CRIF, shows most first want the remaining Israeli hostages taken during the October 7 attacks freed and Hamas to surrender as conditions. "The majority of French Jews aren't hostile to a two-state solution" under the right conditions, the Jewish council's Unger added. Most also "consider the situation in Gaza with tens of thousands of dead is awful," he said, even as they blame Hamas, not Israel, for the war. Like the CRIF, Pierre Stambul, who heads the small French Jewish Union for Peace, also criticizes Macron's statehood declaration but for different reasons. "It's total hypocrisy," he said. "What France is doing is nothing at all. Many states already recognize the state of Palestine." Rabbi Michel Serfaty, who has worked for years building interfaith ties, was noncommittal about Macron's announcement. "Let's see how our fellow Muslims will react," he said. "What interests many is just to live in peace." Events in the Middle East have long reverberated in France, where many of the country's roughly 500,000 Jews and up to 6 million Muslims hail from similar North African roots. Both Jews and Muslims have seen a spike in physical and verbal assaults since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Unger, of the CRIF, said antisemitic attacks have "multiplied by two or three. Before, they were verbal threats; now, they're physical ones. Rabbis have been attacked." The French Muslim Council's Zekri described a similar uptick. "Personally, I've received slices of ham in my mailbox, threats sent to my home," he said. Many Muslims, he added, also don't report such acts to the police. In the 19th arrondissement of Paris, home to some of the city's biggest Muslim and Jewish populations, many declined to be interviewed. A group of Hassidic men, chatting outside a religious book shop on a sunny afternoon, only acknowledged that relations were complex. "We're not looking for problems," one said. "We try to keep good relations with the Arabs." A few blocks away, Algerian businessman Karim Kata said the two communities "try to avoid politics." "We've known each other for a long time," he added, pointing out Jewish businesses nearby, including a kosher butchery employing Muslim workers. "We respect each other. Politics are politics. People are people." Iriqat, the Paris law student, moved to France four years ago and is no stranger to interfaith tensions. He describes slurs against him in the street and being targeted for joining pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which were initially banned over public order concerns. "It's difficult to hold any sign that tells that you are Palestinian," he recalled of the early protests that initially mainly drew Muslims. "To wear a kaffiyeh, to hold the Palestinian flag — it was very difficult." Soon, however, "we started to see a lot of French, even the Jewish community, the leftist Jews," Iriqat said. "I saw they began to feel sorry about what was happening." Born in the occupied West Bank, he still recalls the day Israeli soldiers shot dead one of his uncles as the man sat studying on the family's rooftop terrace. Iriqat was 4 years old at the time. "I remember every single thing — even the smell of the food my grandmother was cooking," he said. "I remember pieces of my uncle's brain on the stairs of our home." He hopes growing international pressure on Israel will eventually sway its biggest ally, the United States, to follow suit and ultimately destroy a system he describes as apartheid. "I'm dedicating my life to Palestine and the Palestinians," said Iriqat, who plans to remain in France and continue his studies. "When I'm fighting for Palestine," he adds, "I'm also fighting for the interests of the Israelis."
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Palestinian territories: What makes a state, a state? – DW – 08/01/2025
The question of Palestinian statehood continues to draw support, with more and more countries willing to recognize Palestine. But the pathway to statehood is built on conventions and custom — and is rarely allies of Israel are increasingly recognizing — or positioning themselves to acknowledge — the existence of Palestine as a state. The Palestinian territories are the focal point of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas. The moves by nations like France, Canada and potentially the United Kingdolm to recognize a Palestinian state, joining around 150 others, will not necessarily bring an end to the war or secure territorial borders. That, as with many other statehood disputes, is because recognized statehood is not a straightforward process. There are states of all shapes, sizes and structures; 193 are currently full members of the United Nations. But not having full UN membership does not preclude those states from participating in the functions of the organization, joining other international bodies and even having diplomatic missions. Nor is UN membership even required to be a state. One of the simplest guides for statehood is outlined in the Convention on Rights and Duties of States — the Montevideo Convention — signed in 1933. It lists four criteria for statehood: defined territorial boundaries, a permanent population, a government representing those people and the ability to enter into international agreements. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video It is sometimes said that a state exists when it's recognized by enough people outside its own territory. While recognition isn't a literal part of international conventions, Gezim Visoka, a peace and conflict studies scholar and statehood expert at Dublin City University, Ireland, said it effectively exists through other measures. "Recognition is crucial for a state to function, to exist internationally, to enter international agreements, to benefit from international treaties, protection from annexation, occupations and other forms of arbitrary intervention from abroad," said Visoka. "You're in a better place than if you're not recognized." Recognition of statehood or fulfilling the Montevideo criteria does not automatically lead to UN admission. The process of becoming a member requires a candidate state to follow several steps: a letter to the UN secretary-general, a formal declaration accepting the UN Charter's membership obligations and the support of the secretary-general. And then, the candidate state must gain the support of members of the UN Security Council. That includes nine of the 15 council members voting in favor of the candidate, and all five of the permanent members: China, France, Russia, the UK and US. Historically, this has been a difficult barrier for candidate states to pass, even for those that have a high level of recognition. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 videoPalestine, Kosovo and Western Sahara are among states with extensive recognition but that aren't full UN members. "When Montenegro joined the UN, or Croatia [joined], they had less than 70 recognitions," said Visoka. "Whereas Palestine has almost 150, Kosovo has around 180-190 recognitions, Western Sahara has over 50." However, if this barrier is passed, a candidate need only receive a two-thirds majority vote of all other UN members at the General Assembly. Outside of the 193 member states are two current permanent observers to the United Nations: the Holy See and Palestine. They are able to access the majority of UN meetings and documentation and maintain missions at UN headquarters. Not being a full member of the UN does not prevent non-members from participating in other bodies. Palestine is, for instance, listed as a state entitled to appear before the International Court of Justice. Some long-recognized states have resisted joining the UN. Switzerland, for example, spent 56 years as a permanent observer before finally joining as a full member in 2002. But the benefits of being in the UN are clear. It effectively acts as de facto recognition, providing sovereign integrity in the event of derecognition by one or more states, and a basis for equality irrespective of size and strength. "On the other hand, non-membership is really tricky," said Visoka, "You don't enjoy the same access to agencies and programs, you might be exposed to mistreatment, isolation and unequal trade and economic relations." So too the risk that territory could be lost. Visoka pointed to recent examples of Western Sahara and Nagorno-Karabakh. States can be recognized by others, but still can face challenges. Places like the Palestinian territories and Kosovo are widely recognized as states, but still face challenges. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The fact that they haven't received approval to become full members of the UN "doesn't make [them] less of a state than other states," said Visoka. But state recognition is a flexible and fluid process. "Unfortunately, recognition remains the weakest part of international law, so there is no treaty, there is no regulation on who is a state, who has the right to recognize other states and which entities are candidates for recognition and statehood," said Visoka. "It is very much defined on a case-by-case basis. All the states don't have unified recognition policy, so they improvise, they adjust and change." This can lead to violence and conflicts, as states fight to gain recognition and legitimacy in the eyes of other nations, with recent examples including the conflict-borne emergence of Kosovo and South Sudan.
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Ukraine updates: Trump deploys nuclear subs near Russia – DW – 08/01/2025
President Donald Trump said he ordered two nuclear submarines near Russia after what he called "foolish and inflammatory" statements from a former Russian president. DW has more Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine, even as US President Donald Trump threatens tougher sanctions unless President Vladimir Putin agrees to a ceasefire in the coming days. A day of mourning was being held in Ukraine's capital on Friday a day after Russia launched waves of missiles and drones on Kyiv, killing 31 people and wounding over 150 others., On Thursday, Trump slammed Russia's military actions in Ukraine as "disgusting." He has given Putin until August 8 to reach a ceasefire or face President Donald Trump said Friday that he had ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines in response to "provocative" comments by a senior Russian official. "Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev... I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances," he added. Trump's comments continue an ongoing war of words on social media between the US president and Russian former President Medvedev. Medvedev served as Russian president from 2008 to 2012, between President Vladimir Putin's terms in power, and is now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video He attracted Trump's ire when he said the US president's threat to impose tariffs on buyers of Russian oil, such as India, constituted an "ultimatum game" whereby "each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war" between Moscow and Washington. On Thursday, Medvedev wrote in a post on Telegram that, "if some words from the former president of Russia trigger such a nervous reaction from the high-and-mighty president of the United States, then Russia is doing everything right and will continue to proceed along its own path." He also said Trump should remember "how dangerous the fabled 'Dead Hand' can be" — a reference to a secretive, semi-automated, Soviet-era command system designed to launch Moscow's nuclear missiles in the event of its leadership being eliminated. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated on Friday his willingness to sit down with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy was reacting to the Russian president's statements on Friday that Moscow hoped for more peace talks with Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants to "move beyond" statements and lower-level meetings on the matter. "If these are signals of a genuine willingness to end the war with dignity and establish a truly lasting Ukraine once again reaffirms its readiness to meet at the level of leaders at any time," he wrote on social media. Earlier, Putin said the momentum of the war was in Russia's favor, signaling no shift in his stance despite a looming sanctions deadline from the United States. US President Trump said he would impose sanctions on Russia unless it stopped the war by August 8. "We need a lasting and stable peace on solid foundations that would satisfy both Russia and Ukraine, and would ensure the security of both countries," Putin told reporters, adding: "The conditions (from the Russian side) certainly remain the same." Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he hopes peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will continue. He said talks should be conducted "without cameras and in a calm atmosphere." He mentioned that working groups could discuss possible compromises. However, he made it clear that Moscow's goals have not changed. At the same time, Putin said Russian troops were attacking Ukraine along the entire front line and that the momentum was in their favor. He cited his Defence Ministry's statement that it had captured the town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine after nearly 16 months of fighting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday dismissed Russian claims of capturing Chasiv Yar as "disinformation." "Ukrainian units are holding our positions," Zelenskyy said in his daily video address on Thursday evening. "It is not easy, but it is the defense of Ukrainians' very right to life." European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said tougher sanctions on Russia are the fastest way to end the war in Ukraine. She also said Kyiv needs more weapons. "Getting more air defenses to Ukraine fast is our priority," she said after a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv. She described the Russian attacks as "depraved" and posted a photo of the bloc's flag at half-staff. The United States welcomed over 180,000 Ukrainians fleeing war under a program started by the previous Joe Biden administration. With Donald Trump back in office, the program has been suspended, and Ukrainians are quietly being pressured to leave. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Germany will deliver two Patriot systems to Ukraine after reaching an agreement with the United States, the Bundeswehr said. In return, Germany has agreed with the US Defense Department that it will be the first country to receive expedited delivery of new-generation Patriot systems. The Patriot is one of the world's most advanced air defense systems, capable of intercepting aircraft and missiles. Germany had delivered three Patriot systems to Ukraine earlier in the war. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the announcement "shows once again that Germany is by far Ukraine's strongest supporter when it comes to air defense." The two launchers will head to Ukraine in the coming days, followed by additional system components to be handed over in two to three months. Patriot systems are fully mobile batteries that include a command center, a radar station to detect incoming threats, and launchers. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described India's continued oil imports from Russia as a "point of irritation" for Washington. Speaking to Fox News Radio, Rubio said, "Unfortunately, that is helping to sustain the Russian war effort. So it is most certainly a point of irritation in our relationship with India, not the only point of irritation." US President Trump has signed an order imposing new tariffs set to take effect August 7, including 25% duties on goods from India. He also added penalties due to India's reliance on Russia for oil and military equipment. India has faced pressure from Western countries, including the United States, to reduce its ties with Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. New Delhi has resisted, citing its longstanding relationship with Russia, through the BRICS alliance and bilaterally, and its economic needs. Russia used over 3,800 drones and nearly 260 missiles for its attacks on Ukraine in July, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a post on social media, he urged "increased pressure on Moscow and additional sanctions." "They must target everything that enables such attacks to continue," he wrote in the wake of a deadly attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Zelenskyy added that the Russian attacks can only be stopped through joint efforts by the US, Europe, and other global actors. US President Donald Trump criticized the latest Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine, suggesting that new sanctions against Moscow were coming. "Russia, I think it's disgusting what they're doing," Trump told journalists as he took questions after an executive order signing at the White House. Trump, who initially gave Russia 50 days to reach a ceasefire with Ukraine or face tariffs, shortened the deadline to "10 or 12 days" on Monday and said Tuesday the countdown was now at 10 days. On Thursday, he said, "I don't know that sanctions bother him," referring his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. White House envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to travel to Russia, but it was not clear if he would meet with Putin. The death toll from Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv on Thursday has risen to 31, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday. The toll was revised upward after rescuers recovered more bodies, including a two-year-old child from a residential building in the Sviatoshynsky district. "Once again, this vile strike by Russia demonstrates the need for increased pressure on Moscow and additional sanctions," Zelenskyy wrote on social media. "No matter how much the Kremlin denies their effectiveness, sanctions do work – and they must be strengthened. They must target everything that enables such attacks to continue." The mayor of the Ukrainian capital, Vitali Klitschko, said more than 150 people had been injured, including 16 children. Klitschko said it was the highest number of children wounded in a single night since Russia's full-scale invasion began. Russia's Defense Ministry said it had targeted Ukrainian military airfields and ammunition depots linked to Kyiv's military-industrial complex. However, officials reported that schools and hospitals were damaged in 27 locations across the city. City authorities have declared Friday a day of mourning. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Kyiv is observing a day of mourning following Thursday's deadly bombardment, one of the worst attacks since Russia launched its full-scale offensive in February 2022. In this blog, we'll take a closer look at the geopolitical fallout. US President Donald Trump's patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be wearing thin. Over the past few days, Trump has repeatedly shortened the deadline to impose sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Russia after his current stop in Israel. The outcome of the trip could be telling.
