Hamas responds in 'positive spirit' to Gaza ceasefire proposal
US President Donald Trump earlier announced a "final proposal" for a 60-day ceasefire in the nearly 21-month-old war between Israel and Hamas, stating he anticipated a reply from the parties in the coming hours.
Hamas wrote on its official website: "The Hamas movement has completed its internal consultations as well as discussions with Palestinian factions and forces regarding the latest proposal by the mediators to halt the aggression against our people in Gaza."
"The movement has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterised by a positive spirit," the statement said.
In a sign of potential challenges still facing the sides, a Palestinian official of a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained about humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing to Egypt, and clarity over a timetable of Israeli troop withdrawals.
Mr Trump said on Tuesday that Israel had agreed "to the necessary conditions to finalise" a 60-day ceasefire, during which efforts would be made to end the US ally's war in the Palestinian enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to meet Mr Trump in Washington on Monday, has yet to comment on Mr Trump's announcement, and in their public statements the two sides remain far apart.
Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group, which is thought to be holding 20 living hostages, has so far refused to discuss.
Israeli media cited an Israeli official as saying Israel had received and was looking into Hamas's response to the ceasefire proposal.
An Egyptian security official told Reuters that Egypt, which along with Qatar, was mediating ceasefire efforts, had seen Hamas' response and said: "It includes positive signs that an agreement is near, but there are some demands from Hamas that need to be worked on."
Mr Trump has said he will be "very firm" with Mr Netanyahu on the need for a speedy Gaza ceasefire, while noting that the Israeli leader wants one as well.
"We hope it's going to happen. And we're looking forward to it happening sometime next week," he told reporters earlier this week. "We want to get the hostages out."
Israeli attacks have killed at least 138 Palestinians in Gaza over the past 24 hours, local health officials said.
Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an air strike on a tent encampment west of the city at about 2 am, killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war.
The Israeli military said troops operating in the Khan Younis area had eliminated militants, confiscated weapons and dismantled Hamas outposts in the past 24 hours, while striking 100 targets across Gaza, including military structures, weapons storage facilities and launchers.
Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight.
"There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother," said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was shot dead in another incident, she said.
"He went to get aid, so he can get a bag of flour for us to eat. He got a bullet in his neck," she said.
In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a US embassy building on US Independence Day, calling on Mr Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives.
Demonstrators set up a symbolic Sabbath dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who were still held in Gaza.
Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Mr Trump on his Truth Social platform that read: "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!"
"Only you can make the deal. We want one beautiful deal. One beautiful hostage deal," said Gideon Rosenberg, 48, from Tel Aviv.
Mr Rosenberg was wearing a shirt with the image of hostage Avinatan Or, one of his employees who was abducted by Palestinian militants from the Nova musical festival on October 7, 2023.
He is among the 20 hostages who are believed to be alive after more than 600 days of captivity.
An official familiar with the negotiations said on Thursday that the proposal envisaged the return of 10 of the hostages during the 60-day ceasefire, along with the bodies of 18 others who had died since being taken hostage.
Ruby Chen, 55, the father of 19-year-old American-Israeli Itay, who is believed to have been killed after being taken captive, urged Mr Netanyahu to return from meeting with Mr Trump with a deal that brought back all the hostages.
Itay Chen, also a German national, was serving as an Israeli soldier when Hamas carried out its surprise attack on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 251 hostage.
Israel's retaliatory war against Hamas has devastated Gaza, displacing most of the population of more than 2 million and triggering widespread hunger.
More than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in nearly two years of fighting, most of them civilians, according to local health officials.
Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
35 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Spurned by Netanyahu, Israeli hostage families turn to Trump
As Israeli beachgoers splash around in the Mediterranean Sea and play volleyball on the nearby sand, Keith Siegel clears his throat to speak. The father of four and grandfather of five spent 484 days in captivity after being taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Much of that time was spent in solitary confinement in the tunnels under Gaza. Before his release in February as part of the most recent ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, his captors forced him to write a thank-you letter, instructing him on what to say. Since his release, Siegel has dedicated himself to trying to secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages held in Gaza, of whom around 20 are believed to be alive. Among them are two former neighbours from the kibbutz near the Gaza border where he and his wife lived in southern Israel. Like many others in the energetic and highly organised protest movement to secure the release of the remaining hostages, Siegel believes that one man, and one man alone, is the key to achieving their freedom. 'President Trump, you are the only one who can do it. End the war, bring the hostages home, create a better future for the Middle East,' Siegel says, standing in front of a banner of a recent social media post by the US president calling for the hostages to be released. It is July 4, and Siegel has gathered with relatives of hostages near the US embassy office in Tel Aviv to plead for a ceasefire agreement. 'We are in a historic window of opportunity,' Siegel continues. 'The leader who achieved a ceasefire with Iran can also deliver the deal of all deals in Gaza ... Please, please don't let this opportunity slip away.' Daniel Shek, a former Israeli ambassador to France who leads the diplomatic department at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, says the movement made a strategic decision to focus on influencing the Trump administration rather than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'There is precedent that the way to get to Netanyahu is through Donald Trump,' he says. 'He's the one who has the leverage and the means.' Relations between Netanyahu and the hostage release movement have been dominated by mistrust and at times outright hostility, with many hostage families believing Netanyahu has put his political survival over the release of their loved ones. Many of those taken hostage on October 7 – peace-loving kibbutzniks and young musical festival attendees – were not part of Netanyahu's conservative base. 'It's difficult for us to converse with him,' Shek says of Netanyahu. 'He hasn't been very communicative with the families of the hostages, and some members of his coalition were outspoken in saying the hostages were not their priority and that's terrible.' Instead of trying to convince their own government to make a deal, many hostage families have taken to directly pleading their loved ones' case with Trump on social media. 'Mr President, we need your help,' Rebecca Bohbot, the wife of hostage Elkana Bohbot, wrote to Trump last week. 'The fight is not over – and only you can help us bring Elkana home.' Netanyahu this week travelled for the first time to Kibbutz Nir Oz, the site of one of the worst massacres on October 7, where he met with hostage families who had previously been scathing of his leadership. The hostage release movement is a ubiquitous presence in Tel Aviv, Israel's second-biggest city and a progressive bastion where Netanyahu is broadly unpopular. Posters of the hostages are plastered around the city, including along the beach. A plaza in the city centre, where large protests are held each week, has been renamed Hostages Square. Visitors can walk through an art installation that aims to recreate the experience of being held in a tunnel under Gaza. Ahead of a crucial meeting at the White House between Trump and Netanyahu on Monday, there is growing hope in Israel that a ceasefire and hostage release deal will be reached. 'I think we'll have a deal next week,' Trump said ahead of the meeting, insisting he would be 'very firm' with Netanyahu about ending the conflict. But there is also palpable anxiety about whether the leaders will reach a flawed agreement that fails to secure the release of all the remaining hostages and prolongs the agony of their families. Polls show around seven in 10 Israelis want the war to end, with most seeing the return of the hostages as their top priority rather than continuing the fight against Hamas. 'We hope Trump will push both sides to end the war and do what it takes to save the hostages … I just want our family to be whole again.' Matan Eshet, cousin of Israeli hostage Evyatar David The families of the hostages have been calling for a deal that secures the immediate release of the remaining captives in exchange for an end to the war. The deal under consideration is far less clean-cut, with a proposal for 10 living hostages and 18 bodies to be released during a 60-day ceasefire. During that time, talks would be held over ending the war and releasing all remaining hostages, but this phase could collapse as it has in the past. 'The hostage deal in the works is a disgrace,' former Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said in a social media post. 'It lets Hamas keep 10 living hostages and 12 bodies past the 60-day mark, and condemns two hostages to being trapped in Gaza's dungeons for another 50 days!' Veteran Israeli hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin has also criticised the reported framework, saying: 'There is no reason for the ceasefire to be limited to 60 days. There is no reason for five phases to release 10 living hostages and another 18 bodies. Why not one phase for everyone?' Sitting at Hostages Square at sundown, Matan Eshet says he is desperate for his cousin Evyatar David to be released. A talented guitar player who wanted to pursue a career as a music producer, David was taken hostage at the Nova music festival. Loading Hamas released a video of him in February, confirming to his family he is alive – albeit clearly malnourished and poorly treated. 'You could see he has not been sleeping, that he has barely seen the light of day,' Eshet says of his cousin. 'We are hopeful that a deal will be reached and he will come back. We hope Trump will push both sides to end the war and do what it takes to save the hostages.'
The Age
40 minutes ago
- The Age
Spurned by Netanyahu, Israeli hostage families turn to Trump
As Israeli beachgoers splash around in the Mediterranean Sea and play volleyball on the nearby sand, Keith Siegel clears his throat to speak. The father of four and grandfather of five spent 484 days in captivity after being taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Much of that time was spent in solitary confinement in the tunnels under Gaza. Before his release in February as part of the most recent ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, his captors forced him to write a thank-you letter, instructing him on what to say. Since his release, Siegel has dedicated himself to trying to secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages held in Gaza, of whom around 20 are believed to be alive. Among them are two former neighbours from the kibbutz near the Gaza border where he and his wife lived in southern Israel. Like many others in the energetic and highly organised protest movement to secure the release of the remaining hostages, Siegel believes that one man, and one man alone, is the key to achieving their freedom. 'President Trump, you are the only one who can do it. End the war, bring the hostages home, create a better future for the Middle East,' Siegel says, standing in front of a banner of a recent social media post by the US president calling for the hostages to be released. It is July 4, and Siegel has gathered with relatives of hostages near the US embassy office in Tel Aviv to plead for a ceasefire agreement. 'We are in a historic window of opportunity,' Siegel continues. 'The leader who achieved a ceasefire with Iran can also deliver the deal of all deals in Gaza ... Please, please don't let this opportunity slip away.' Daniel Shek, a former Israeli ambassador to France who leads the diplomatic department at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, says the movement made a strategic decision to focus on influencing the Trump administration rather than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'There is precedent that the way to get to Netanyahu is through Donald Trump,' he says. 'He's the one who has the leverage and the means.' Relations between Netanyahu and the hostage release movement have been dominated by mistrust and at times outright hostility, with many hostage families believing Netanyahu has put his political survival over the release of their loved ones. Many of those taken hostage on October 7 – peace-loving kibbutzniks and young musical festival attendees – were not part of Netanyahu's conservative base. 'It's difficult for us to converse with him,' Shek says of Netanyahu. 'He hasn't been very communicative with the families of the hostages, and some members of his coalition were outspoken in saying the hostages were not their priority and that's terrible.' Instead of trying to convince their own government to make a deal, many hostage families have taken to directly pleading their loved ones' case with Trump on social media. 'Mr President, we need your help,' Rebecca Bohbot, the wife of hostage Elkana Bohbot, wrote to Trump last week. 'The fight is not over – and only you can help us bring Elkana home.' Netanyahu this week travelled for the first time to Kibbutz Nir Oz, the site of one of the worst massacres on October 7, where he met with hostage families who had previously been scathing of his leadership. The hostage release movement is a ubiquitous presence in Tel Aviv, Israel's second-biggest city and a progressive bastion where Netanyahu is broadly unpopular. Posters of the hostages are plastered around the city, including along the beach. A plaza in the city centre, where large protests are held each week, has been renamed Hostages Square. Visitors can walk through an art installation that aims to recreate the experience of being held in a tunnel under Gaza. Ahead of a crucial meeting at the White House between Trump and Netanyahu on Monday, there is growing hope in Israel that a ceasefire and hostage release deal will be reached. 'I think we'll have a deal next week,' Trump said ahead of the meeting, insisting he would be 'very firm' with Netanyahu about ending the conflict. But there is also palpable anxiety about whether the leaders will reach a flawed agreement that fails to secure the release of all the remaining hostages and prolongs the agony of their families. Polls show around seven in 10 Israelis want the war to end, with most seeing the return of the hostages as their top priority rather than continuing the fight against Hamas. 'We hope Trump will push both sides to end the war and do what it takes to save the hostages … I just want our family to be whole again.' Matan Eshet, cousin of Israeli hostage Evyatar David The families of the hostages have been calling for a deal that secures the immediate release of the remaining captives in exchange for an end to the war. The deal under consideration is far less clean-cut, with a proposal for 10 living hostages and 18 bodies to be released during a 60-day ceasefire. During that time, talks would be held over ending the war and releasing all remaining hostages, but this phase could collapse as it has in the past. 'The hostage deal in the works is a disgrace,' former Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said in a social media post. 'It lets Hamas keep 10 living hostages and 12 bodies past the 60-day mark, and condemns two hostages to being trapped in Gaza's dungeons for another 50 days!' Veteran Israeli hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin has also criticised the reported framework, saying: 'There is no reason for the ceasefire to be limited to 60 days. There is no reason for five phases to release 10 living hostages and another 18 bodies. Why not one phase for everyone?' Sitting at Hostages Square at sundown, Matan Eshet says he is desperate for his cousin Evyatar David to be released. A talented guitar player who wanted to pursue a career as a music producer, David was taken hostage at the Nova music festival. Loading Hamas released a video of him in February, confirming to his family he is alive – albeit clearly malnourished and poorly treated. 'You could see he has not been sleeping, that he has barely seen the light of day,' Eshet says of his cousin. 'We are hopeful that a deal will be reached and he will come back. We hope Trump will push both sides to end the war and do what it takes to save the hostages.'
AU Financial Review
an hour ago
- AU Financial Review
‘Elon has finally woken up': Musk battles to save Tesla from Trump
Elon Musk donated more than $US250 million to elect Donald Trump. In return, he received a bill that could cost Tesla billions. Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' puts at risk a crucial source of profit for Tesla by neutering rules that allow the electric-vehicle maker to sell billions of dollars of emissions credits. Financial Times
