Hamas' exiled Gaza chief says ceasefire talks meaningless under 'blockade and starvation'
"The immediate and dignified delivery of food and medicine to our people is the only serious and genuine indication of whether continuing the negotiations is worthwhile," he said in a recorded speech.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Starmer to have key Gaza meeting with Trump during state visit
Sir Keir Starmer is scheduled to meet US president Donald Trump at Turnberry on Monday for discussions covering Gaza, trade, and Ukraine. Sir Keir intends to press Donald Trump for a ceasefire in Gaza and to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians, amidst growing calls for the UK to recognise Palestine as a state. Donald Trump confirmed that the meeting would address the existing trade deal between the US and UK, and also extensively discuss Israel. The mini-summit follows a bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, where a trade deal was agreed. The meeting takes place against a backdrop of intensifying debate over the Middle East crisis, including a public disagreement between Sir Bob Geldof and Kemi Badenoch regarding aid to Gaza.
Glasgow Times
24 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Mike Dailly: UK must recognise Palestine as a state
60,000 are dead in Gaza, with 144,500 Palestinians injured since October 2023. According to DWB, Gazans risk being shot as they look for food. It's against this humanitarian crisis that France will become the first G7 country to recognise Palestine as a state. Last week, President Emmanuel Macron advised the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas that he would announce formal recognition at the United Nation's (UN) General Assembly in September. Such recognition may be largely symbolic but it adds diplomatic pressure for UN membership and statehood. Palestine has been seeking full UN membership since 2011 but has been blocked by the United States (US). Last April, a resolution for UN membership for Palestine was vetoed by the US. The 15-member Security Council had 12 votes in favour, two abstentions and one vote against. A state has certain defining features under international law, including a permanent population, a determinate territory, "effective" government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the move by France as "a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism". He said Israel would not permit the establishment of a "Palestinian entity that would harm our security, endanger our existence". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US "strongly rejects" Macron's plan because it was a "reckless decision" that "only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace." At the same time as Macron's announcement, ceasefire talks were halted as the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar. In contrast, France and Saudi Arabia are hosting an international conference at the UN in New York - today and tomorrow - seeking peaceful solutions and renewed efforts for a 'two-state solution'. The US has opted out of attendance. A two-state solution would see an independent Palestinian state established alongside the state of Israel, giving both peoples their own territory. Palestinians want an independent state in the occupied West Bank, annexed east Jerusalem and Gaza, land that have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood and says it would reward militants after the 7 October attacks by Hamas in 2023. President Macron said, "France will seek to make a decisive contribution to peace in the Middle East and will mobilise all of its international partners who wish to take part". While the US continues to insist it supports a two-state solution and peace in the Middle East, in reality, it appears to be a key driver of stalemate in the region. The need for food, water and medicine in Gaza is now beyond an emergency. Jordan and the UAE have a proposal, supported by the UK, to drop aid into Gaza, but aid agencies say this will do little to mitigate the hunger of Gazans as the crisis is now beyond critical. Pressure is on Prime Minister Starmer to follow President Macron and for the UK to recognise Palestine as a state. Around 221 MPs have signed a motion urging him to do so. Let's hope he does so this week.
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Iran's Supreme Leader 'sleeping and getting high' as Ayatollah threatens Israel's existence from hidden bunker
Iran 's Supreme Leader spends his days 'sleeping and high on substances' in his hidden bunker, according to insiders within Israel 's national intelligence agency. A Mossad-linked X account last week shared the new information on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a series of attacks on his leadership. 'How can a leader lead when they sleep half the day and spend the other half high on substances? Water, electricity, life!' the account wrote. 'Consuming drugs and conversing with spirits are not desirable traits for someone leading a country,' a second post read earlier this month. It comes after Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Khamenei to stop threatening the existence of his people from his underground bunker. 'I want to convey a clear message to Khamenei the dictator,' Katz recently said. 'If you continue to threaten Israel, our long arm will again reach Tehran and with even greater force — and this time to you personally. Do not threaten, lest you be harmed.' A ceasefire has been in place between Israel and Iran since late June, following days of fiery attacks from both sides after Israel's surprise strikes wiped out top Iranian military figures and nuclear scientists. At the height of the 12-day conflict, there were widespread reports that Khamenei was hiding out in a bunker amid increased concerns for his safety. At this point, Israel had dismantled and destroyed Khamenei's senior network, wiping out key leaders and allies of the Supreme Leader. Mohammad Bagheri, the commander in chief of Iran's military and second highest commander after Khamenei, was among the first casualties identified after the strikes. Hossein Salami, commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps was also killed, along with Gholamali Rashid, the deputy commander in chief of the armed forces. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the airspace unit of the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Gholamreza Mehrabi, the deputy intelligence chief of the Armed Forces and Gen. Davood Sheikhian, the commander of air defense, were also wiped out. Simultaneously, bombs exploded at the homes of nine scientists, killing them instantly and at the same time. While the Mossad has not formally confirmed the X account's affiliation, two intelligence agents recently said the account appears authentic. 'Some of the information it has shared could only have come from Mossad,' said Beny Sabti, an Iran expert at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. The accountholder urges supports who are 'contacting us through private messages, for your own security, please ensure you are using a VPN.' Khamenei has been accused of abusing drugs in the past, despite declaring illicit substances 'un-Islamic' in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution. Iranians face the death penalty for drug related offenses. In 2022, an Iranian academic publicly claimed the Supreme Leader had a drug habit. 'Many viewers do not know this, but Khamenei himself uses drugs,' Nour Mohamed Omara told a television station in Turkey at the time. 'He has a special village in Balochistan, where the drugs used by the leader are produced,' the academic added. 'This village is run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and no one is allowed in.' The same Mossad-linked account has been making efforts to reach and communicate with Iranians who are increasingly disenfranchised with their leadership. After the 12-day Iran-Israel war, the account posted: 'A ceasefire has been put into effect. Now, the extent of the damage is becoming clear. At this moment, the regime is focused on its senior officials, not on caring for its citizens. 'We stand with you and have formed a team of specialized doctors, including experts in cardiology, diabetes. pulmonary diseases, infectious diseases, oncology, as well as support for pregnant women and psychological assistance.' The account warned Iranians interested in utilizing the services to contact them via a VPN for their own safety.
