Hamas Pushes Back on Hopes of Imminent Ceasefire Deal: 'No Progress'
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
There is "no progress" toward a deal in Gaza, a Hamas source tells Newsweek, despite President Donald Trump insisting U.S.-mediated ceasefire discussions between Hamas and Israel were "going along very well."
Renewed negotiations kicked off over the weekend in Doha, with mediators speaking separately to the Palestinian militant group and Israeli officials.
The first stage of a U.S-brokered ceasefire deal — agreed in January — fell apart in March, as negotiators failed to nail down a next phase and the Israeli military resumed its offensive in Gaza. The U.S., Qatar and Egypt have been steering renewed talks.
Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday it was "too early" to offer any impressions on the progress of the negotiations. Israeli sources have indicated time would be needed to shuffle toward an accord.
Smoke billows after an Israeli strike on Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on June 28, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.
Smoke billows after an Israeli strike on Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on June 28, 2025, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.
Photo by BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images
Trump has struck a far more optimistic tone, saying as recently as Sunday that there was a "good chance" of reaching a hostage deal in the coming days, after months of fruitless talks and stalled progress.
"I think we're close to a deal on Gaza—we could have it this week," Trump told reporters as he headed to Washington on Sunday. In fresh remarks on Monday, the president said Hamas officials "want to have that ceasefire."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, departing Israel for the U.S. on Sunday, said he had "dispatched a team to the negotiations with clear instructions." An unnamed Palestinian official told the BBC the "Israeli delegation simply came to listen and has no real mandate to negotiate."
"We are working to achieve the much discussed deal, on the conditions that we have agreed to," Netanyahu told reporters.
Trump said on July 1 Israel had agreed to "the necessary conditions" for finalizing a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza after a "long and productive meeting" with U.S. officials.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, hands President Donald Trump a folder during a meeting in the Blue Room of the White House, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Washington.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, hands President Donald Trump a folder during a meeting in the Blue Room of the White House, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Washington.
Associated Press
Hamas said later in the week it had returned a "positive" response to the latest iteration of a hostage deal and ceasefire proposal. Netanyahu's office then said on Saturday Hamas had requested "unacceptable" changes to the proposal formulated by Qatar.
The Hamas source told Newsweek that Israel wished to keep in place the current system for distributing humanitarian aid in the besieged Strip.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial U.S.-backed aid distribution initiative supported by Israel, is currently the primary method for Palestinians in devastated Gaza to access supplies in designated spots after Israel lifted its aid blockade in mid-May.
But the GHF program has drawn massive crowds to its aid distribution sites, which Israeli troops have fired on multiple times, according to witnesses, humanitarian groups and visual evidence published by the Washington Post. The United Nations has said at least 613 Palestinians have been killed close to the foundation's sites or around humanitarian convoys.
The Associated Press reported on Sunday that the document submitted by mediators to Hamas outlined a 60-day ceasefire proposal, during which Israel would pull back to a buffer zone on the Gaza border with Israel and Egypt. Aid would pour into Gaza as Hamas turned over 10 living and 18 deceased hostages to Israel, according to the report.
The Hamas source said Israel wants to retain control of the Morag axis, a strip of land between the southern Gazan cities of Rafah and Khan Younis.
Israel has not offered a guarantee that the war would end after 60 days, the source said. That has been a sticking point for Hamas negotiators.
Netanyahu has long maintained Israel needs "complete victory" over the Palestinian group before stopping the war.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
28 minutes ago
- USA Today
University of Michigan under federal scrutiny after arrest of Chinese scientists
Probe comes after three Chinese citizens tied to the University of Michigan were accused of smuggling biological hazards into the U.S. DETROIT — The Trump administration is investigating potential foreign influence at the University of Michigan, claiming the school was indifferent to national security concerns raised by the FBI. In a letter sent to the university on July 15, the U.S. Department of Education gave the university 30 days to turn over more than five years' worth of records related to foreign donations, foreign research collaboration, international students and their visas, as well as the names and contact information of school personnel who supervise all those things. The letter said the university received $375 million in foreign funding since 2020 and has been late in reporting about $86 million of that amount. The letter also notes that the school spends more than $2 billion on research each year, and about half of that comes from the federal government. "Additionally, many of UM's disclosure reports appear to include transactions in which the counterparty was erroneously identified by UM as nongovernmental," Paul Moore, chief investigative counsel for the Department of Education, wrote in the letter. Universities must file semiannual reports with the department detailing their foreign contacts and funding. The letter said a review of the university's filings "reveals that incomplete, inaccurate, and untimely disclosures may have been submitted by UM, in possible violation of its foreign source funding statutory disclosure obligations." University spokeswoman Colleen Mastony said in a statement that the school is committed to advancing knowledge and serving the people of Michigan and the world. "The University of Michigan takes its responsibility to comply with the law extremely seriously, and we will cooperate fully with federal investigators," she said. "We strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university's critical public mission." The investigation is the latest battle between the Trump administration and the school over things like antisemitism on campus, its use of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the overhead costs it charges on federal research grants. Does China benefit from it? Trump has been defunding university research. Department of Education cites recent cases involving Chinese scientists Universities with ties to China have also been under federal scrutiny as the administration has become increasingly concerned that China is potentially using open and federally funded research environments in the United States to circumvent export controls and other national security laws, according to Reuters. In May, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the United States will not tolerate "exploitation" of universities by the Chinese Communist Party or theft of U.S. research and intellectual property. The Department of Education's investigation comes after three Chinese citizens were recently charged with attempting to smuggle dangerous biological materials into the United States for use at the University of Michigan labs. In June, federal authorities accused two Chinese scientists of smuggling into the United States a "dangerous" fungus that causes a disease in crops so that one of them could research the pathogen at a university laboratory. Days later, another Chinese scientist was charged with allegedly bringing biological materials related to roundworms for research at the university. "Despite the University of Michigan's history of downplaying its vulnerabilities to malign foreign influence, recent reports reveal that UM's research laboratories remain vulnerable to sabotage," Moore said in a separate statement. Chinese student visas: Marco Rubio says US will revoke visas from Chinese students, add new restrictions The Department of Education's letter also noted that the university in January closed a joint research institute it ran with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, after U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, a Republican from Caledonia, highlighted ties that the school had to the Chinese military. "UM continues to engage in substantial research collaborations with Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, and Zhejiang University — all universities deeply involved in China's emerging science and technology research efforts directly linked to military programs," the letter said. According to the letter, Ann Chih Lin, director of the University of Michigan's Center for Chinese Studies, met with the director of the FBI in December 2022 and accused the bureau of overstating the threat of technology transfer to China in academic settings. "Lin's assertions appear to be ill-conceived," Moore wrote in the letter. "Lin's apparent indifference to the national security concerns of the largest single source of funding for UM's annual research expenditures — the American taxpayer — is particularly unsettling." Contributing: Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press; Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY; Reuters
Newsweek
29 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where US Aircraft Carriers Are in Indo-Pacific
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Newsweek map shows that four United States aircraft carriers were underway across the Indo-Pacific this week—from the country's West Coast to waters off the Arabian Peninsula. With regard to the deployment of its aircraft carrier strike groups, the U.S. Navy said it is a symbol of Washington's commitment to maintaining what it calls "a free and open Indo-Pacific region." Why It Matters The U.S. military possesses the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with 11 nuclear-powered vessels in active service—including six based in the Pacific Ocean—which are regularly deployed to help keep U.S. adversaries, namely China, North Korea and Iran, in check. The multiple deployments of U.S. aircraft carriers come after China flexed its naval power by simultaneously sending two aircraft carriers to the Pacific Ocean recently, while the Pentagon maintains its military presence in the Middle East despite a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. What To Know Based on official disclosures and open-source satellite imagery, the locations of U.S. aircraft carriers are publicly available. USS Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego, California, on Tuesday to conduct exercises aimed at bolstering the readiness of its carrier strike group. The Theodore Roosevelt returned to San Diego last October after a nine-month deployment across the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East, during which it supported regional security and stability, as well as strengthened U.S. military force posture and capabilities, according to the Navy. In the western Pacific, USS George Washington was spotted underway in the Celebes Sea—located between the Philippines and Indonesia—as of Sunday, following a patrol in the South China Sea during its deployment within the U.S. Seventh Fleet's operating area. The western Pacific and Indian Oceans are part of the Seventh Fleet's area of operations. An F-35C fighter jet lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the Celebes Sea on July 13, 2025. An F-35C fighter jet lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the Celebes Sea on July 13, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ana Souza Young/U.S. Navy Following operations with its sister ship, USS Nimitz, in the Middle East earlier this month, USS Carl Vinson returned to the Indian Ocean on an eastward voyage and was underway in the Andaman Sea—located off the coasts of Myanmar and Thailand—as of Tuesday. Citing a U.S. defense official, USNI News reported that the Carl Vinson departed the North Arabian Sea on July 11. The aircraft carrier was deployed from San Diego last November. The Nimitz, along with three destroyers and a replenishment oiler, was captured in satellite imagery while underway in the Arabian Sea off the southern coast of Oman on Sunday. Both the Nimitz and the Carl Vinson were previously repositioned from the western Pacific to the Middle East. 🚨 OSINT Intel Drop: 🇺🇸Carrier Strike Group 11 Fresh imagery (13 July 2025) confirms CSG 11, including USS Nimitz and 3x Arleigh Burke destroyers, operating off Oman's south coast. 1x destroyer conducting an UNREP with oiler USNS John Lewis. This activity comes as regional… — MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) July 14, 2025 Of the remaining two Pacific-based U.S. aircraft carriers, USS Ronald Reagan continued scheduled maintenance at a shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, as of Tuesday, while USS Abraham Lincoln remained in San Diego following its return to port on July 10 after a few days at sea. What People Are Saying The U.S. Navy said of USS George Washington's deployment: "George Washington is the U.S. Navy's premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States' commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy's largest numbered fleet." The U.S. Seventh Fleet previously told Newsweek: "Every day the U.S. Pacific Fleet operates to protect the security, freedom, and prosperity for the United States and our allies and partners, reflecting our commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Carl Vinson and the George Washington will operate together in the Western Pacific to counter China's increased naval activities in the region.
Newsweek
29 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Attacks His Own Supporters Over Jeffrey Epstein Interest
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump attacked his own supporters while answering a question about their interest in Jeffrey Epstein. In a clip, which has been viewed over four million times on X as of reporting, Trump is asked by a reporter why he thinks his supporters in particular have been so interested in Epstein, to which he replied "I don't understand it. Why they would be so interested, he's dead for a long time. It was never a big factor in terms of life." He continued, adding that "I think really only pretty bad people including fake news wanna keep something like that going." His remarks come as MAGA supporters have been critical of Trump following a review by the FBI and the Department of Justice, which found "no incriminating 'client list'" in relation to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting further sex trafficking charges. President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after returning on Marine One on July 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after returning on Marine One on July 15, 2025 in Washington, to follow
