Hamas signals willingness for new indirect Gaza ceasefire talks with Israel
ISTANBUL, June 2 — Hamas said on Sunday evening that it is ready to immediately enter a new round of indirect negotiations with Israel to resolve outstanding points of contention, with the aim of ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and reaching a permanent ceasefire, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
The announcement followed the group's Saturday delivery of its response to a Gaza ceasefire proposal presented by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Both the envoy and the Israeli government later rejected the response outright.
'We welcome the continued Qatari and Egyptian efforts to reach an end to the war waged by the Zionist occupation against our people in the Gaza Strip,' Hamas said in a statement.
The group affirmed its willingness 'to immediately begin indirect negotiations to reach an agreement on disputed points, in a way that ensures relief for our people, ends the humanitarian catastrophe, and leads to a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of (Israeli) occupation forces.'
Earlier Sunday, Egypt and Qatar said they hoped for a swift agreement on a 60-day temporary truce between Israel and Hamas that would pave the way towards a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, according to a joint statement.
'Qatar and Egypt, in coordination with the United States, affirm their intention to intensify efforts to overcome the obstacles facing the negotiations,' the statement said.
They also urged all parties 'to exercise responsibility and support the efforts of mediators aimed at resolving the crisis in the Gaza Strip through restoring stability and calm to the region.'
On Saturday night, Witkoff criticised Hamas' latest response to his ceasefire proposal as 'totally unacceptable.'
He highlighted: 'That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have at the proximity talks substantive negotiations in good faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire.'
That same day, Hamas confirmed it had submitted its official reply to the mediators regarding Witkoff's proposal. While it did not disclose the content, the group said its position was based on three goals: a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and unrestricted humanitarian access to the enclave.
Hamas has repeatedly stated it is prepared to release all Israeli captives in one exchange deal — on the condition that the war ends, Israeli forces fully withdraw from Gaza, and Palestinian prisoners are freed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to push for partial agreements and has introduced new conditions, including the disarmament of Palestinian resistance factions.
Critics in the Israeli opposition accuse him of prolonging the war and pushing for the reoccupation of Gaza to serve his political interests and maintain power.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's population.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave. — Bernama-Anadolu
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
At least 27 Palestinians killed near Gaza aid site
There have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies. (AP pic) CAIRO : At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip today, local health authorities said, in the latest bout of chaos and bloodshed to plague the aid operation. The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of individuals who had left designated access routes near the distribution centre in Rafah. It added it was still investigating what had happened. The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas rebels that has laid waste to much of the enclave. Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza. The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting. The foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles. The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early today and that the aid operation was 'conducted safely and without incident within the site'. However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies. On Sunday, Palestinian and international officials reported that at least 31 people were killed and dozens more injured. Yesterday, three more Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli fire. The Israeli military has denied targeting civilians gathering for aid and called reports of deaths during Sunday's distribution 'fabrications' by Hamas. Yesterday, it said IDF forces had identified 'a number of suspects' moving towards them while deviating from the access routes. 'The forces fired evasive shots, and after they did not move away, additional shots were fired near the individual suspects who were advancing towards the forces,' it said. Mass evacuations ordered UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said yesterday he was 'appalled' by reports of Palestinians killed and wounded while seeking aid and called for an independent investigation. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders to residents of several districts in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip late yesterday, warning that the army would act forcefully against rebels operating in those areas. The military told residents to head west towards the Mawasi humanitarian area. Palestinian and United Nations officials say there are no safe areas in the enclave, and that most of its 2.3 million population has become internally displaced. The territory's health ministry said today that the new evacuation orders could halt work at the Nasser Hospital, the largest, still-functioning medical facility in the south, endangering the lives of those being treated there. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the Oct 7, 2023 assault in which Hamas-led gunmen killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies. In the subsequent fighting, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, local health authorities say.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
At least 27 Palestinians killed near Gaza aid site, medics say
Palestinians injured by Israeli fire as they gathered near a US-backed aid center in the Rafah area, receive treatment at the Nasser hospital in the southern Gaza Strip on June 3, 2025. (Photo by AFP) CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters): At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday (June 3), local health authorities said, in the third day of chaos and bloodshed to affect the aid operation. The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of individuals who had left designated access routes near the distribution centre in Rafah. It added it was still investigating what had happened. The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas that has laid waste to much of the enclave. Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza. A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross told Reuters that its field hospital in Rafah received 184 casualties, adding that 19 of those were declared dead upon arrival, and eight died of their wounds shortly after. More than 35 patients required immediate intervention, the spokesperson added. The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting. The Foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities, which say it does not follow humanitarian principles. The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early on Tuesday and that the aid operation was "conducted safely and without incident within the site". However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies. On Sunday, Palestinian and international officials reported that at least 31 people were killed and dozens more injured. On Monday, three more Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli fire. The Israeli military has denied targeting civilians gathering for aid and called reports of deaths during Sunday's distribution "fabrications" by Hamas. On Tuesday, it said IDF forces had identified "a number of suspects" moving towards them while deviating from the access routes. "The forces fired evasive shots, and after they did not move away, additional shots were fired near the individual suspects who were advancing towards the forces," it said. Mass evacuations ordered UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday (June 2) he was "appalled' by reports of Palestinians killed and wounded while seeking aid and called for an independent investigation. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders to residents of several districts in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip late on Monday, warning that the army would act forcefully against fighters operating in those areas. The military told residents to head west towards the Mawasi humanitarian area. Palestinian and United Nations officials say there are no safe areas in the enclave, and that most of its 2.3 million population has become internally displaced. The territory's health ministry said on Tuesday that the new evacuation orders could halt work at the Nasser Hospital, the largest, still-functioning medical facility in the south, endangering the lives of those being treated there. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 assault in which Hamas-led gunmen killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies. In the subsequent fighting, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, local health authorities say.- Reuters
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Muslim pilgrims gather in Mecca under scorching desert sun
Saudi Arabia earns billions of dollars each year from the haj. (AP pic) MECCA : More than a million Muslim pilgrims poured into the holy city of Mecca ahead of the annual haj, with authorities vowing to hold a safer pilgrimage amid searing desert heat and a massive crackdown on illegal visitors. Officials have beefed up heat mitigation measures hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's haj, which saw 1,301 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8°C. Temperatures were forecast to exceed 40°C this week as one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings starts on Wednesday. The haj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means. As of Friday, more than 1.3 million pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the multi-day pilgrimage, according to officials. This year, authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness following the lethal heatwave of 2024. Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000sq m, thousands more medics will be on standby, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, Saudi Arabia's haj minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP last week. Today, with temperatures topping 40°C, the health ministry said 44 cases of heatstroke had already been treated. The latest artificial intelligence technology will also help monitor the flood of data and footage, including video from a new fleet of drones, from across Mecca to better manage the mammoth crowds. Despite the punishing heat, pilgrims were overjoyed as they arrived in Mecca. 'This is really a blessing from Allah,' Abdul Majid Ati, a Filipino lawyer and Sharia counsellor, told AFP near the Grand Mosque. 'We feel so peaceful and safe in this place.' Abdulhamid, from Nigeria, said he was 'very happy' to be performing his second pilgrimage in a row at just 27 years old. But the young man said he never walks out without his sunglasses, describing the temperatures in Mecca as 'very, very, very hot'. The rites in the holy city and its surroundings, which follow a lunar calendar, fall again this year during the hot month of June. Last year, most of the deaths were among unregistered pilgrims who lacked access to air-conditioned tents and buses. 'They were caught by surprise because the intensity of the heat was so high that their adaptation measures failed,' said Fahad Saeed of Climate Analytics, a think tank based in Germany. In the run-up to this year's haj, Saudi authorities launched a widespread crackdown on unregistered worshippers, using frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts. Haj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system and distributed to individuals by lottery. But even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs prompt many to attempt the haj without a permit – though they risk arrest and deportation if caught. Along with hefty fines, those found illegally entering Mecca during the haj face a potential 10-year ban from Saudi Arabia. Large crowds at the haj have proved hazardous in the past, most recently in 2015 when a stampede during the 'stoning the devil' ritual in Mina, near Mecca, killed up to 2,300 people in the deadliest haj disaster. Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam's holiest sanctuaries in Mecca and Medina, earns billions of dollars each year from the haj and pilgrimages known as umrah, undertaken at other times of the year. The pilgrimages are also a source of prestige for the Saudi monarch, who is known as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of Mecca and Medina. For Mariama, a 52-year-old pilgrim from Senegal, the journey to Mecca has fulfilled a life-long dream. 'I was dreaming about it, thinking about it every time to come here to do the haj,' she said.
