Hamas responds to Israeli ceasefire offer after weeks of stalled talks in Qatar
"Hamas has just submitted its response and that of the Palestinian factions to the ceasefire proposal to the mediators," the Palestinian militant group said in a statement on Telegram.
The 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 ongoing talks in Doha.
Negotiators from both sides have been holding indirect talks in Doha with mediators in an attempt to reach an agreement on a truce deal that would see the release of Israeli hostages.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
But the talks have dragged on for more than two weeks 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.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer on Wednesday accused Hamas of obstructing talks.
"Israel has agreed to the Qatari proposal and the updated (US special envoy Steve) Witkoff proposal, it is Hamas that is refusing," Mencer told reporters, adding that Israel's negotiating team was still in Doha and talks were ongoing.
The United States said Witkoff will head to Europe this week for talks on a possible ceasefire and an aid corridor.
More than 100 aid organisations warned on Wednesday that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza.
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France 24
19 minutes ago
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Timeline: The state of Palestine's long road to recognition
From the Ottoman Empire to the British Mandate 1916 – Concluded in May between France and Great Britain, the Sykes-Picot Agreement marks out the two imperial powers' future spheres of influence across the Middle Eastern territories of the foundering Ottoman Empire – Palestine and Syria among them. 1917 – The Balfour Declaration, named for British foreign minister Arthur Balfour, promises 'the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people'. The declaration, responding to the campaigning of the growing Zionist movement, follows an earlier pledge from London to Mecca's Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi promising the creation of an independent Arab kingdom following the eventual break-up of the Ottoman Empire. 1922 – The League of Nations, the forerunner to the United Nations, grants the United Kingdom a mandate to administer the lands of historic Palestine. The mandate document explicitly references the wording of the Balfour Declaration promoting 'the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people', adding that the British would be responsible for enacting a nationality law that would allow 'the acquisition of Palestinian citizenship by Jews who take up their permanent residence in Palestine'. 1937 – Following the outbreak of Arab riots the previous year against the British Mandate and rising Jewish immigration, a report by the British Peel Commission recommends the division of historic Palestine into a Jewish state comprised of 33 percent of the territory and an Arab state connected to what was then the British protectorate of Transjordan. A 'Jewish state' and an 'Arab state' 1947 – In February, a United Kingdom – increasingly eager to renounce its role as Mandatory – submits the Palestinian question to the newly formed United Nations. In November, the UN General Assembly adopts Resolution 181, which calls for the division of Palestine into a 'Jewish state' and an 'Arab state'. The resolution, which passes despite the unanimous opposition of the Arab delegations, suggests that Jerusalem and its holy sites be placed under international administration. 1948 – As the British Mandate for Palestine expires, then-National Jewish Council president David Ben Gurion proclaims the independence of the State of Israel on May 14. The creation of the Israeli state, which soon seizes control of 77 percent of Mandatory Palestine, is synonymous for Palestinians and across the Arab world with the Nakba, or 'catastrophe', which saw hundreds of thousands of people driven from their homes and lands by armed force. Today, more than 4 million Palestinians are registered as refugees under the UN. 1949 – A ceasefire brings the first Israeli-Arab war to an end, giving Jordan control over the West Bank of the Jordan River and East Jerusalem and Egypt the Gaza Strip. Israel would henceforth take these lines of demarcation as the country's official borders – a territory far greater than that envisaged in the original UN resolution. The same year, the UN General Assembly adopts Resolution 273, admitting Israel into the United Nations. The following year, Israel transfers its capital from Tel Aviv to the western part of Jerusalem. 1964 – The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is founded in Cairo. The group is empowered to negotiate and conclude international treaties in the name of the Palestinian people. The Six-Day War redraws the map 1967 – The third Israeli-Arab war, or the Six-Day War, is launched by Israel, putting the armed forces of neighbouring Arab states to flight and redrawing the map of the Middle East. Israel now occupies the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the vast Sinai Peninsula and Syria's Golan Heights. The Israeli government begins a policy of Jewish settlement across these newly conquered territories. 1974 – The UN General Assembly formally recognises the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and independent and grants the PLO observer status to the international body. 1987 – The First Intifada, or uprising, breaks out in the occupied Gaza Strip and soon spreads to the West Bank. Dubbed the 'war of stones', this revolt against the Israeli occupation will last until 1993 and place the Palestinian cause front and centre of the international agenda. The uprising also gives birth to the Islamist militant group Hamas, which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. 1988 – Gathered in Algiers, the PLO's legislative assembly proclaims an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The group also implicitly recognises the existence of the State of Israel. The Oslo Accords 1993 – PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin sign the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements in Washington, D.C., following secret negotiations in Norway – the first of a series of agreements known as the Oslo Accords. These declarations are intended to lay the groundwork for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and build the basis for Palestinian autonomy within the borders preceding the Six-Day War. The first part of the agreements create the Palestinian Authority, an interim body intended to give way to an independent Palestinian state in 1999. 1995 – The Oslo II Accord divides the Israeli-occupied West Bank into three parts: Zone A, administered by the Palestinians, Zone B under dual administration and Zone C – representing more than 60 percent of the territory – which, although intended to pass progressively into Palestinian control, remains for the moment entirely under the administration of the Israeli army. More sensitive questions, including the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlers in the occupied territories and the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, remain unresolved. 1996 – Yasser Arafat is elected president of the Palestinian Authority in the first Palestinian elections. 1998 – US President Bill Clinton becomes the first US president to be officially received by a virtual Palestinian state. Palestinian power struggles 2000 – The Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada, erupts following right-wing Likud party leader Ariel Sharon's provocative visit to the Temple Mount – a holy site for Muslims, Jews and Christians alike. 2002 – The Arab Initiative, adopted in 2002 and relaunched in 2007, foresees the normalisation of ties between Arab states and Israel in return for Israel pulling out of Arab territories occupied since June 1967 and the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The same year, the UN Security Council adopts Resolution 1397, confirming its support for a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict. 2005 – Mahmoud Abbas is elected president of the Palestinian Authority. After 38 years of armed occupation, Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip. 2007 – The Islamist group Hamas, which won the 2006 legislative elections, takes control of the Gaza Strip by force, fracturing the Palestinian leadership. On the world stage 2011 – Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas formally requests Palestine's admission into the United Nations. The same year, Palestine becomes a member of UNESCO. Furious, the US – staunch allies of Israel – suspend their donations to the UN agency, which make up almost a quarter of its total budget. 2012 – The UN votes to recognise Palestine as a 'Non-Member Observer State' with 138 countries for, nine against and 41 abstaining. 2015 – Faced with an Israeli prime minister – Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu – who has repeatedly sworn that a Palestinian state will never see the light of day as long as he remains in power, the Palestinian Authority doubles downs on its efforts to integrate itself with UN organisations, as well as the International Criminal Court. How to break the cycle: From war in Gaza to a two-state solution? 44:18 2016 – The UN Security Council adopts Resolution 2334, calling on Israel to 'immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem'. The resolution underlines that the UN will 'not recognise any changes to the June 4 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations'. 2017 – The administration of US President Donald Trump announces that the US recognises Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and tells the state department to move the US embassy to the contested city. 2019 – The White House unveils Trump's economic plan for the Palestinians, which despite promising to 'fundamentally transform the West Bank and Gaza', contains no mention of the creation of a Palestinian state. 2020 – Trump suggests that the creation of a Palestinian state could be possible if the Palestinians are prepared to give way to the conditions outlined in his own peace plan. His proposal outlines a 'contiguous' Palestinian state, connected across stretches of Israeli territory by 'an efficient, modern transportation network' of rails and tunnels. The plan also suggests the creation of a Palestinian capital in 'Eastern Jerusalem' without providing further details. The aftermath of October 7 2023 – The deadly October 7 attacks launched by Hamas and allied militant groups on Israeli soil and the resulting Israeli onslaught in the Gaza Strip draws the world's gaze once more to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The question of a two-state solution once again enters the discussion, albeit increasingly out-of-reach due to Netanyahu's hardline policies, Abbas's growing irrelevance, Hamas's grip on Gaza and Israel's renewed settlement of the occupied West Bank. 2024 – The UN General Assembly votes for the admission of the state of Palestine into the United Nations with a crushing majority and raises its status to 'Permanent Observer'. Spain, Ireland and Norway all formally recognise the state of Palestine, and France's Emmanuel Macron declares himself ready to follow their example. For its part, the Israeli government – the most right-wing in the nation's history – announces the seizure and future settlement of the largest parcel of land in the occupied West Bank since the signing of the Oslo Accords. Israel expands West Bank settlements as Gaza crisis worsens 03:50 2025 – France's Macron affirms that recognising the state of Palestine is 'not just a moral duty, but a political necessity'. He prepares to officially recognise the Palestinian state at a conference in Saudi Arabia in June – a conference postponed following Israel's unprecedented bombing campaign of Iran. On July 10, Macron calls for a joint recognition of Palestine between Paris and London during a visit to the United Kingdom. On July 24, he announces that France will recognise the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
UK, France, Germany say Gaza 'humanitarian catastrophe must end now'
"We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and urgently allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their work in order to take action against starvation," they said in a joint statement released by Berlin. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that "the most basic needs of the civilian population, including access to water and food, must be met without any further delay". "Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," they said. "Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law." More than 100 aid and human rights groups warned this week that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza after more than 21 months of war. Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for the deepening crisis in Gaza, which the World Health Organization has called "man-made". Israel placed the Gaza Strip under an aid blockade in March, which it only partially eased two months later while sidelining the longstanding UN-led distribution system. The European leaders also stressed that "the time has come to end the war in Gaza. "We urge all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate ceasefire." "We stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region," they said. Starmer had earlier said he would hold an "emergency call" on Gaza Friday with Macron and Merz. Palestinian militant group Hamas triggered the conflict with its October 7, 2023 attack in Israel. The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has so far killed 59,676 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Euronews
2 hours ago
- Euronews
Israel considering alternatives to talks with Hamas, Netanyahu says
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that his government is considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks with Hamas after Israel and the US recalled their negotiating teams from Qatar, throwing the future of the negotiations into further uncertainty. Netanyahu's statement came as a Hamas official said negotiations were expected to resume next week and portrayed the recall of the Israeli and American delegations as a pressure tactic. The teams left Doha on Thursday as President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Hamas' latest response to proposals for a deal showed a "lack of desire" to reach a truce. Witkoff said the US would look at "alternative options," without elaborating. In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu echoed Witkoff, saying, "Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal." "Together with our US allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas's terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region," he said. He did not give any further details about what the alternative options might be. Israel's government also didn't respond to whether negotiations would resume next week. Hamas official Bassem Naim said on Friday that the group was told that the Israeli delegation returned home for consultations and would return early next week to resume ceasefire negotiations. Pressure on Hamas Hamas said that Witkoff's remarks were meant to pressure the group for Netanyahu's benefit during the next round of talks and that in recent days negotiations had made progress. Naim said several gaps had been nearly solved, such as the agenda of the ceasefire, guarantees to continue negotiating to reach a permanent agreement and how humanitarian aid would be delivered. The sides have held weeks of talks in Qatar, reporting small signs of progress but no major breakthroughs. Officials have said a main sticking point is the redeployment of Israeli troops after any ceasefire takes place. The deal under discussion is expected to include an initial 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up, and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting ceasefire. The talks have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war. Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war. Israel says it will not agree to end the conflict until Hamas gives up power and disarms. The militant group says it is prepared to leave power but not surrender its weapons. Hamas is believed to be holding the hostages in different locations, including tunnels, and says it has ordered its guards to kill them if Israeli forces approach. Some 50 hostages remain in Gaza but fewer than half are believed to be alive. Their families say the start-stop talks are excruciating. "I thought that maybe something will come from the time that the negotiation, Israeli team were in Doha," said Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is being held hostage. "And when I heard that they're coming back, I ask myself: When will this nightmare end?" Worsening humanitarian situation A breakthrough on a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has eluded the Trump administration as humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate in Gaza. Israel has come under mounting pressure as hunger among Gaza's more than 2 million people has worsened and deaths related to malnutrition have accelerated. In recent days more then two dozen Western-aligned countries and more than 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. The charities and rights groups said even their own staff were struggling to access enough food.
