Gaza ceasefire talks have not led anywhere, Qatari PM says
"One party is looking for a partial deal that might or have the possibility to lead to a comprehensive deal and the other party is looking just for a one-off deal and to end the war and to get all the hostages out," Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a press briefing Tuesday. "And we couldn't bridge this fundamental gap with whatever proposals we have provided."
Rounds of negotiations have been ongoing in Doha over the past couple of weeks, he said.
Hamas claimed Tuesday that Israel has not been serious about the negotiations, saying in a statement that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is extending his delegation's stay in Doha on a day-to-day basis without engaging in any serious negotiations, and no real talks have taken place since last Saturday."
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office claimed Tuesday that Hamas is refusing the American proposal for the return of the hostages.
"After approximately one week of intensive contacts in Doha, the senior members of the negotiating team will return to Israel for consultations; the working echelon will -- at present -- remain in Doha," the office said.
MORE: IDF announces start of 'Operation Gideon's Chariots' Gaza ground offensive
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Sunday that the Israeli negotiation team is working to "exhaust every chance of a deal," including one that would include "the release of all hostages, the expulsion of Hamas terrorists [from Gaza], and the disarmament of the Strip."
Amid the ceasefire talks, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday the start of a new "extensive ground operation" throughout northern and southern Gaza.
The escalation has been met with condemnation from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada, who called on Israel in a joint statement on Monday to stop its military operations and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, otherwise they "will take further concrete actions in response."
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy subsequently announced Tuesday that the U.K. has suspended negotiations with Israel on a new free trade agreement and will impose sanctions on West Bank settlers, saying, "Despite our efforts, this Israeli government's egregious actions and rhetoric have continued."
MORE: Gaza crisis 'beyond atrocious' as IDF operations intensify, UN chief says
Netanyahu had pushed back against the joint statement in a statement on X on Monday, saying that by "asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed," the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are "offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities."
"The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled and Gaza is demilitarized. No nation can be expected to accept anything less and Israel certainly won't," Netanyahu said.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also brushed off the U.K.'s announcements on the free trade talks and sanctions on Tuesday, saying, "External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction."
Gaza ceasefire talks have not led anywhere, Qatari PM says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
19 minutes ago
- New York Times
Cuomo Calls for Gaza Aid and Says ‘Some People' Blame Israel for Crisis
Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo appeared to criticize Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on Tuesday, and then hours later distanced himself from his comments, arguing that Israel was not solely responsible. Mr. Cuomo, who has made his fierce support for Israel a central theme in his campaign for mayor of New York City, said in an interview on Tuesday evening that Israel and others should move quickly to deliver humanitarian aid. Then he attacked his main rival, Zohran Mamdani, who he claimed was 'glorifying Hamas.' 'Everyone should do everything they can to get the humanitarian aid delivered,' Mr. Cuomo said, adding: 'It's heartbreaking as a father to imagine what children are going through.' But Mr. Cuomo seemed to back off harsher comments he made several hours earlier. Mr. Cuomo had said in an interview with Bloomberg News: 'Do I support what the Israel government is doing vis-à-vis Gaza? No. Do I support Israel impeding humanitarian aid? No.' Mr. Cuomo said that in the earlier interview he was expressing the views of some New Yorkers, but not his own: 'I was airing what some people feel. You have some people who feel that Israel is not acting appropriately. That's their opinion.' In his later interview with The New York Times, he said that 'it is incumbent on every entity that is involved — Israel, Palestine, the United Nations, the Red Cross — to do everything to expedite the food and water.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
19 minutes ago
- CBS News
Rep. Mike Quigley calls for U.S. to recognize Palestinian state
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) on Tuesday called for the Trump administration to recognize a Palestinian state. Quigley is the first Illinois politician to call for such an action. "I am deeply horrified by the reporting and images coming out of the Gaza Strip. The killing of civilians and the forced starvation of thousands are abhorrent and must come to an end," Quigley, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a news release. "To date, more than 60,000 Palestinians have died in this conflict, half of whom are women and children. More than 130 people have died of hunger. More than 1,000 have been shot while waiting for aid. More than 145,000 have been injured. The situation is untenable. Quigley said in the release that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has "proven incapable of safely delivering the humanitarian aid necessary to prevent mass starvation," and called on Israel to shut down the foundation and allow international actors to step in. Gaza's health ministry said at least 180 people have died of malnutrition-related causes since the Israel-Hamas War began nearly two years ago. Quigley said he still upholds the right of Israel to defend itself, and noted that he has repeatedly called on Hamas to release the hostages they took on Oct. 7, 2023, "immediately and unconditionally."
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
SNAP Rules Tighten To Restrict Junk Food, Sodas: Advocates Praise Online Access Boost
As top federal officials gathered in the capital on Monday to promote a new push to restrict soda and junk food from SNAP purchases, a Texas food access expert was hundreds of miles away, explaining how recent changes to the same program have expanded healthy options for people experiencing poverty. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins hosted a joint press event in Washington as part of President Donald Trump's 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative, unveiling new SNAP waivers and calling for broader federal restrictions on sugary drinks, as previously covered by The Dallas Express. 'If you want to buy a sugary soda — the U.S. taxpayer should not pay for it,' Kennedy said. 'The U.S. taxpayer should not be paying to feed kids foods, the poorest kids in the country, that will give them diabetes.' The Breakdown: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to ban SNAP users from buying soda nationally. New waivers approved for Florida, Texas, and four other states on Monday. Kennedy and Rollins say the goal is to improve health and reduce Medicaid costs. Meanwhile in Texas, advocates say online SNAP expansion is helping. The tension underscores a national debate on food access vs. government regulation. Speaking at the Great American Farmers Market in Washington, Kennedy said sugary drinks and candies make up nearly 17% of current SNAP expenditures and argued the government 'pays twice' — first through SNAP benefits, then through the downstream cost of chronic diseases. Rollins echoed that message. 'One way … is disallowing taxpayer-funded benefits to purchase unhealthy items like soda, candy, and other junk food,' Rollins explained. 'SNAP is a supplemental nutrition program meant to provide food benefits to low-income families … essential to health and well-being.' Rollins signed new waivers on Monday for Florida, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Colorado. These come in addition to previous waivers in Arkansas, Utah, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, and Nebraska, which restrict soda and candy in various forms starting in 2026. In her remarks, Rollins framed the effort as both fiscally responsible and morally urgent, citing statistics about obesity, diabetes, and mental health challenges in children. 'Over 75% of American youth between the ages of 17 and 24 are ineligible for military service because of obesity, poor physical fitness, or mental health challenges,' explained Rollins. Yet some believe Kennedy and Rollins' work to limit soda to promote health is misguided. 'The problem with soda consumption in the U.S. is not SNAP users,' Hilary Seligman, a public health researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, previously told The New York Times. 'If you try to solve this problem using SNAP as a lever, so only SNAP people are impacted by it, what we're likely to do is just increase stigma for people who are trying to make ends meet.' Some former Obama and Biden officials agree with Seligman. 'It doesn't pay for everyone's food for the entire month,' former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told NYT. 'So what would prevent people from spending their own money on sugary drinks or soda? The notion of restricting it for nutritional purposes really isn't a valid reason.' While the Trump administration officials were speaking about SNAP, Celebrindal Roberts, procurement and logistics manager for Farmshare Austin, was addressing attendees at the Southern Family Farmers and Food Systems Conference, held at Texas State University. Roberts offered a more local perspective on SNAP, noting that her nonprofit has accepted SNAP since 2016 and began accepting online SNAP in October 2024. She described online payments as a 'game-changer,' explaining that they reduce delivery and administrative costs, allow for unattended home delivery, and increase access to healthy food for people in areas with limited grocery infrastructure. 'You sell more food with Double Up Food Bucks and SNAP online,' Roberts said. Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) is a program that allows SNAP users to double the value of their benefits when buying fruits and vegetables. Roberts praised the program but noted it currently does not cover canned goods or honey, which limits its reach in some food-insecure households. Roberts also said the online system has improved safety for delivery drivers and staff by reducing the need for carrying cash. Refunds from canceled or delayed orders are now returned directly to customers' SNAP cards, making the entire process more seamless for users and vendors alike. Farmshare Austin's 13-acre certified organic farm supplies a mobile market, home delivery program, and postpartum food access initiative. The group serves 25 ZIP codes in the Eastern Crescent of Austin and Travis County. While battles continue to rage about the prudence of various changes and innovations with SNAP, Kennedy insists that change is long overdue. 'For 20 years Democrats and Republicans have been talking about this on Capitol Hill,' he said. 'We have no problem with [soda consumption] … taxpayer dollars should not be funding these injuries to our children,' Kennedy said. Despite previous legal hurdles faced by states seeking to restrict SNAP purchases, Rollins and Kennedy say the administration is now working to bypass congressional gridlock and encourage all governors to submit waivers. It remains to be seen whether the growing push for restrictions will be met with resistance from health equity advocates, grocers, or SNAP recipients themselves. But both Kennedy and Rollins framed the reforms as a defining front in Trump's broader push for 'nutrition, not just food assistance.' Solve the daily Crossword
