Jordan Resumes Sending Humanitarian Convoys to the Gaza Strip - Jordan News
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Ammon
an hour ago
- Ammon
Gaza ceasefire talks on verge of collapse, Palestinian officials say
Ammon News - Negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar on a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal are on the brink of collapse, according to Palestinian officials familiar with the details of the discussions. One senior official told the BBC that Israel had "bought time" during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington this week and deliberately stalled the process by sending a delegation to Doha with no real authority to make decisions on key points of contention. They include the withdrawal of Israeli troops and humanitarian aid distribution. Before he left the US on Thursday, Netanyahu had maintained a positive tone, saying he hoped to complete an agreement "in a few days". He said the proposed deal would see Hamas release half of the 20 living hostages it is still holding and just over half of the 30 dead hostages during a truce lasting 60 days. On Friday night, Palestinian officials familiar with the negotiations told the BBC they were on the verge of collapse, with the two sides deeply divided on several contentious issues. They said the most recent discussions had focused on two of those issues: the mechanism for delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza and the extent of the Israeli military withdrawal. Hamas has insisted that humanitarian assistance must enter Gaza and be distributed via United Nations agencies and international relief organisations. According to mediators involved in the process, there has been some limited progress on bridging the divide over this issue. However, no formal agreement has been reached. The second major sticking point is over the extent of the Israeli withdrawal. During the fifth round of talks, Israeli negotiators reportedly handed mediators a written message stating that Israel would maintain a limited "buffer zone" inside Gaza that was between 1km and 1.5km (0.6-0.9 miles) deep. Hamas, according to a Palestinian official who attended at least two of the rounds of talks, viewed this proposal as a possible starting point for compromise. However, when Hamas requested and received a map outlining Israel's proposed withdrawal zones, the document contradicted the earlier message, showing far deeper military positions. The map was said to indicate buffer zones that were up to 3km (1.8 miles) deep in certain areas and confirmed a continued Israeli presence in vast swathes of territory. They covered all of the southern city of Rafah, 85% of the village of Khuzaa east of Khan Younis, substantial parts of the northern towns of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, and eastern neighbourhoods of Gaza City, such as Tuffah, Shejaiya and Zeitoun.
Roya News
10 hours ago
- Roya News
Rafah's ‘humanitarian city': Negotiating tactic or blueprint for post-ceasefire?
A contentious 'Israeli' proposal to establish a "humanitarian city" in southern Gaza, on the ruins of Rafah, is sparking fierce debate. Critics are questioning whether this initiative, unveiled by 'Israeli' Defense Minister Israel Katz, is a post-ceasefire plan or a strategic maneuver to tilt ongoing negotiations in their favor. The plan has drawn widespread condemnation from international bodies, human rights organizations, and key regional players, raising serious alarms about its implications for Gaza's future and regional stability, particularly for Egypt. Defense Minister Katz outlined the plan earlier this week, stating that the proposed "humanitarian city" would initially house around 600,000 displaced Palestinians currently in the al-Mawasi area. These individuals would undergo strict security screenings and be confined to the zone, with no permission to leave. Ultimately, Katz suggested, all of Gaza's over two million residents would be concentrated there. He also committed to implementing a plan, first proposed by President Donald Trump, to facilitate the "voluntary migration" of Palestinians from Gaza to other countries. This concept, enthusiastically supported by 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, lacks any public commitment from other nations. According to 'Israeli' media, Katz indicated that international bodies, not the 'Israeli' military, would manage the new zone, although the 'Israeli' army would secure it. This setup mirrors the controversial aid distribution model of the US- and 'Israel'-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The feasibility of international participation remains dubious, as most organizations have shunned the GHF due to serious concerns over neutrality and the safety of Palestinian residents; hundreds have been killed attempting to access GHF aid sites. The proposal has ignited a firestorm of criticism. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy unequivocally rejected the plan, calling it a contradiction to ceasefire efforts and not a "serious context" for aid delivery. Hamas condemned the plan as an attempt at "ethnic cleansing," affirming the Palestinian people's steadfast refusal of forced displacement. Human rights lawyer Michael Sfard described Katz's plan as a precursor to forcible deportation, classifying both as war crimes. He argued that any departure from Gaza under such conditions could not be considered voluntary, as "Israel imposes coercive measures on them that make their lives in Gaza impossible." Key regional players, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have also firmly rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians. UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh stated, "The United Arab Emirates has publicly and unequivocally rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians." Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majid al-Ansari, similarly affirmed, "We are against any forced displacement of Palestinians, or any deportation of Palestinians outside their lands." This "humanitarian city" proposal follows a series of failed 'Israeli' displacement strategies since the war began in October 2023, including plans to empty northern Gaza and divide the strip into isolated "bubbles." UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, condemned the latest plan as "an insult to the very notion of humanity," warning it would transform Gaza into "the most overcrowded, controlled open-air prison in the world." UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stressed that a permanent ceasefire, hostage release, safe aid delivery, and a genuine commitment to a two-state solution are the only viable paths forward.
Roya News
10 hours ago
- Roya News
Two Palestinians killed, dozens injured in West Bank Sinjil settler assaults
Two Palestinians were found dead Friday after violent attacks by 'Israeli' settlers in the village of Sinjel, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, amid escalating tensions in the area. According to a correspondent for Roya News, the bodies of the two victims, including Muhammad Shalabi from the nearby village of Al-Mazra'a Al-Sharqiya, were discovered hours after they went missing during the brutal assaults by settlers. Local sources reported that both victims suffered severe beatings across their bodies. Muhammad Shalabi was one of the two Palestinians who died as a result of these attacks, which are intensifying the suffering of local residents. In addition to the fatalities, around 40 others were injured during the settler assaults on Sinjel, with many victims receiving treatment for head wounds and other injuries. Palestinian Red Crescent teams reported difficulties reaching some of the wounded, as settler groups blocked medical crews from accessing young men trapped in the nearby forests. The 'Israeli' army announced the deployment of two additional battalions to the West Bank in response to the rising violence. In response, Hamas condemned the settler attacks on Sinjel as a 'criminal assault,' viewing it as confirmation of the Israeli Occupation's ongoing policy of dispossession and aggression against Palestinians. The movement called on Palestinians across the West Bank to rise up in protest and defend their communities against further settler violence. The day also saw a spike in settler and 'Israeli' army attacks in several other West Bank areas, including the village of Al-Minya east of Bethlehem. There, settlers, backed by Israeli forces, assaulted residents and fired tear gas, causing dozens of cases of suffocation, including among women and children. Medical sources reported a three-year-old girl sustained a head injury from a direct settler attack. In Masafir Yatta, south of Hebron, settlers attacked Palestinian homes and assaulted residents, resulting in injuries to two young men who were taken for medical treatment, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. The surge in settler violence and military operations raises concerns among human rights groups about deteriorating security conditions and the increasing vulnerability of Palestinian civilians across the occupied territories.
