Trump says Gaza ceasefire possible this week or next
'We have a chance this week or next week,' Trump told reporters.
Israel's military chief said on Wednesday 'conditions have been created' for the advancement of a hostage release deal in Gaza, as indirect negotiations were under way between Israel and Hamas.
'We have achieved many significant results, we have caused great damage to the governance and military capabilities of Hamas,' armed forces chief Eyal Zamir said in a televised speech. 'Thanks to the operational power that we have demonstrated, the conditions have been created to advance a deal to release the hostages.'
Earlier the same day, Israel's foreign minister voiced confidence about reaching a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, despite no immediate signs of a breakthrough in ongoing talks Hamas.
Gideon Saar maintained that Israel was serious about wanting to reach a deal to end the 21 months of bitter fighting in the devastated territory, and believed it was 'achievable.'
'If a temporary ceasefire is achieved, we will negotiate on a permanent ceasefire,' he added in a speech in the Slovakian capital Bratislava, as the indirect talks between the two sides stretched into a fourth day in Doha.
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Al Arabiya
27 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Israel's top general warns of combat ‘without rest' unless hostages are freed
Israel's top general has warned that there will be no respite in fighting in Gaza if negotiations fail to quickly secure the release of hostages held in the Palestinian territory. 'I estimate that in the coming days we will know whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages,' said army chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, according to a military statement. 'If not, the combat will continue without rest,' he said, during remarks to officers inside Gaza on Friday. Footage released by the Israeli military showed Zamir meeting soldiers and officers in a command center. Of the 251 people who were kidnapped from Israel during Hamas's attack in October 2023, 49 remain in Gaza, 27 of them dead, according to the military. Palestinian armed groups this week released two videos of hostages looking emaciated and weak. Negotiations -- mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar -- to secure a ceasefire and their release broke down last month, and some in Israel have called for tougher military action. This comes against the backdrop of growing pressure -- both internationally and domestically, including from many of the hostages' families -- to resume efforts to secure a ceasefire in the nearly 22-month conflict. Aid agencies have meanwhile warned that Gaza's population is facing a catastrophic famine, triggered by Israeli restrictions on aid. Zamir nonetheless rejected these allegations out of hand. 'The current campaign of false accusations of intentional starvation is a deliberate, timed, and deceitful attempt to accuse the [Israeli military], a moral army, of war crimes,' he said. 'The ones responsible for the killing and suffering of the residents in the Gaza Strip is Hamas.' Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. A total of 898 Israeli soldiers have also been killed since ground troops were sent into Gaza, according to the military. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,332 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
Leaders
44 minutes ago
- Leaders
Trump's Envoy Visits GHF Aid Site as Gaza Starvation Crisis Deepens
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With his remarks, Trump contradicted the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed there was no starvation in Gaza. During a visit to Scotland on Monday, the US President said that Israel assumes a lot of responsibility for aid flows, suggesting that many people could be saved. 'You have a lot of starving people,' Trump said. 'We're going to set up food centers,' to ease access, he said, adding that the US would collaborate with other countries to provide more humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, including food and sanitation. After Witkoff's visit to Gaza, Trump said he spoke to him and that the US Envoy 'had a great meeting with a lot of people, and the primary meeting was on food. And he had, he also had some other conversations that I'll tell you about later, but he had a meeting on getting the people fed, and that's what we want.' Visiting GHF Site The GHF operation system aims to control aid distribution in Gaza and prevent aid from reaching Hamas – a claim that an internal US government review debunked after finding no evidence that Hamas steals humanitarian aid. However, the GHF model has been marred with controversy. Since it started operation in May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking aid, most of them near GHF distribution sites, according to the UN Human Rights Office. The UN refused to work with the GHF, saying it violates basic humanitarian principles. After his Gaza visit, Huckabee praised GHF, saying that it delivers food to Palestinians in Gaza without reaching Hamas. He said that the organization distributed over 100 million meals to Gaza since it started operation in May – a number that other aid agencies said was insufficient. Meanwhile, Palestinians said that Israeli troops fired at them while waiting for food supplies near the same distribution hub that Witkoff and Huckabee visited on Friday. At least 12 people were killed and 90 others injured while attempting to get aid, including near the site that US officials visited. Commenting on Witkoff's trip to Gaza, Hamas senior official, Basem Naim, criticized the visit as a publicity stunt. 'Mr. Witkoff, Gaza is not an animal farm that requires a staged personal visit to take some personal photos in front of the death traps overseen by your American companies,' Naim said in a statement. Netanyahu Meeting Before his Gaza visit, Witkoff met with Netanyahu on Thursday in an effort to save ceasefire talks and address the Strip's humanitarian crisis, reported Reuters. Following the meeting, an Israeli official said that the US and Israel are working on an understanding that there was a need to move to a plan to release all the hostages, disarm Hamas, and demilitarize the Gaza Strip. After Witkoff's arrival in Israel, Trump posted on Truth Social: 'The fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!' Ceasefire Talks The Gaza ceasefire negotiations appear to have reached a deadlock as the US and Israel pulled their negotiating teams from Doha last week, accusing Hamas of not wanting to reach a deal. They also said they would consider 'alternative options' to release the remaining hostages. On Tuesday, mediators Egypt and Qatar backed the Two-State Solution Conference's final declaration, issued by Saudi Arabia and France, which states that Hamas 'must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.' Under increasing international pressure to prevent famine in Gaza, Israel announced last week 'tactical pauses' to fighting across three areas in the Strip: Muwasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm local time to allow aid delivery. It also announced other measures including the resumption of airdrops into Gaza and establishing safe corridors for aid convoys. However, humanitarian groups have criticized aid airdrops as expensive, inefficient and dangerous for those on the ground. On Saturday, Gaza's Health Ministry said that the World Health Organization (WHO) will deliver trucks loaded with urgent medical supplies and equipment to Gaza's hospitals. Short link : Post Views: 10
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Israel army chief warns of combat ‘without rest' unless hostages are freed
JERUSALEM: Israel's top general has warned that there will be no respite in fighting in Gaza if negotiations fail to quickly secure the release of hostages held in the Palestinian territory.'I estimate that in the coming days we will know whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages,' said army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, according to a military statement.'If not, the combat will continue without rest,' he said, during remarks to officers inside Gaza on released by the Israeli military showed Zamir meeting soldiers and officers in a command the 251 people who were kidnapped from Israel during Hamas's attack in October 2023, 49 remain in Gaza, 27 of them dead, according to the armed groups this week released two videos of hostages looking emaciated and – mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar – to secure a ceasefire and their release broke down last month, and some in Israel have called for tougher military comes against the backdrop of growing pressure – both internationally and domestically, including from many of the hostages' families – to resume efforts to secure a ceasefire in the nearly 22-month agencies have meanwhile warned that Gaza's population is facing a catastrophic famine, triggered by Israeli restrictions on nonetheless rejected these allegations out of hand.'The current campaign of false accusations of intentional starvation is a deliberate, timed, and deceitful attempt to accuse the IDF (military), a moral army, of war crimes,' he said.'The ones responsible for the killing and suffering of the residents in the Gaza Strip is Hamas.'Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures.A total of 898 Israeli soldiers have also been killed since ground troops were sent into Gaza, according to the campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,332 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
