Saudi Arabia's current priority is a permanent Gaza ceasefire, foreign minister says
He was speaking during a visit to Moscow.
In 2024, the Saudi foreign minister said that there can be no normalisation of ties with Israel without resolving the Palestinian issue.
613 killed at Gaza aid distribution sites, near humanitarian covoys, says UN
'What we are seeing is the Israelis are crushing Gaza, the civilian population of Gaza,' he said. 'This is completely unnecessary, completely unacceptable and has to stop.'
The local health ministry in Gaza says more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault on the region since an October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
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Gaza civil defence says 32 killed in Israeli operations
GAZA CITY: Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli military operations killed 32 people across the war-battered territory on Saturday, the latest deaths in nearly 21 months of war. Israel has recently expanded its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where the war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the Palestinian territory's population of more than two million. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Saturday's dead included eight people killed in two strikes on schools in Gaza City. Israeli military kills 15 in Gaza as Trump waits for Hamas response to ceasefire proposal Many Gazans have sought shelter in schools and other public buildings since Palestine Israel war began. Bassal also reported that eight people were killed by Israeli fire near an aid distribution centre in southern Gaza. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it could not comment on specific attacks without precise coordinates. The latest strikes came hours after Hamas said it was ready to start talks 'immediately' on a US-sponsored proposal for a Gaza ceasefire. An Israeli official told AFP that 'no decision has been made yet' when asked about Hamas's positive response to the latest ceasefire proposal. It came ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's departure for talks on Monday in Washington, where US President Donald Trump has intensified calls for an end to the war. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed more than 57,000 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
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Hamas says ready to start Gaza ceasefire talks ‘immediately'
GAZA CITY: Israel was mulling its response on Saturday after Hamas said it was ready to start talks 'immediately' on a US-sponsored proposal for a Gaza ceasefire. The security cabinet was expected to meet after the end of the Jewish sabbath at sundown to discuss Israel's next steps as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to leave for Washington for talks on Monday with US President Donald Trump. Trump has been making a renewed push for an end to nearly 21 months of war in Gaza, where the civil defence agency said 32 people were killed in Israeli military operations on Saturday. 'No decision has been made yet on that issue,' an Israeli government official told AFP when asked about Hamas's positive response to the latest ceasefire proposal. Hamas made its announcement late Friday after holding consultations with other Palestinian factions. 'The movement is ready to engage immediately and seriously in a cycle of negotiations on the mechanism to put in place' the terms of the US-backed truce proposal, the Palestinian group said in a statement. Gaza civil defence says 32 killed in Israeli operations Hamas ally Islamic Jihad said it supported ceasefire talks, but demanded 'guarantees' that Israel 'will not resume its aggression' once hostages held in Gaza are freed. Trump, when asked about Hamas's response aboard Air Force One, said: 'That's good. They haven't briefed me on it. We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza.' Two previous ceasefires mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have seen temporary halts in fighting, coupled with the return of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. 60-day truce proposal Efforts to broker a new truce have repeatedly failed, with the primary point of contention being Israel's rejection of Hamas's demand for guarantees that any new ceasefire will be lasting. 613 killed at Gaza aid distribution sites, near humanitarian covoys, says UN A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told AFP earlier this week that the latest proposal included 'a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip' – thought to number 22 – 'in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees'. Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian group, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Nearly 21 months of war have created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations. A US- and Israel-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, took the lead in food distributions in the territory in late May when Israel eased a more than two month blockade on aid deliveries. Hamas seeks ceasefire guarantees as scores more killed in Gaza The group said two of its US staff were wounded in an 'attack' on one of its aid centres in southern Gaza on Saturday. 'This morning, two American aid workers were injured in a targeted terrorist attack during food distribution activities at SDS-3 in Khan Yunis,' the organisation said, adding that reports indicated it was carried out by 'two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans'. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives. Its operations have been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli fire on people waiting to collect rations. UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said Friday that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points. GHF's chairman Johnnie Moore, a Christian evangelical leader allied to Trump, on Wednesday rejected calls for the lead role in Gaza aid distributions to revert to UN agencies. 'We will not be shut down. We have one job to do. It's very simple, every day to provide free food to the people of Gaza,' he told reporters. Civil defence says schools hit Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Israeli military operations killed 32 people across the war-battered territory on Saturday. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. Bassal said Saturday's dead included eight people killed in two strikes on schools in Gaza City. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it could not comment on specific strikes without precise coordinates.
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
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At least 29 Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza since dawn
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