Israel-Gaza latest: Netanyahu reportedly accepts US Gaza ceasefire plan - but Hamas 'studying' it
Hamas says it has received a new US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. Earlier, Israel authorised 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, drawing condemnation from a UK minister. Follow the latest, and listen to The World podcast as you scroll, below.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Penny Wong slammed by US Secretary of State after introducing sanctions on Israeli officials
Australia has come under fire from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for backing sanctions against two senior Israeli officials, accusing it of turning a blind eye to the 'real enemy'. Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Wednesday the targeted sanctions in a joint statement alongside her counterparts from Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. The measures - which include travel bans and financial sanctions - are against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have been accused of inciting 'extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights'. Mr Ben-Gvir, from the Jewish Power party, and Mr Smotrich, of the Religious Zionism Party, are members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's coalition government. Mr Rubio on Wednesday said that he conemns the move, 'These sanctions do not advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,' he said. 'We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace. 'We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is. Asked about Mr Rubio's condemnation of the sanctions, the foreign minister said that despite their differences Australia and the US remained aligned on strategic interests. 'We will continue to be part of the international call for aid to enter (Gaza) unhindered, unimpeded,' Senator Wong said. 'That is Israel's obligation. 'These two ministers have been the most extremist and hard line of an extremist settler enterprise, which is both unlawful and violent. 'Australia can't shift the dial on the Middle East by ourselves. 'What we can do is act with others, and that's what we've done.' 'We will continue to advocate for a ceasefire and the return of hostages, and we will continue to condemn Hamas and its terrorist ideology.' Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions 'outrageous' and said his government would hold a meeting early next week to decide how to respond to the 'unacceptable decision' made by the five countries. Although the sanctions focus on the West Bank, the foreign ministers said 'this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza'. The Australian Jewish Association said it was appalled by the federal government's actions and accused it of anti-Semitism. 'This action represents a hostile and unjustified attack on a democratic ally and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,' CEO Robert Gregory said. 'This government's willingness to engage with authoritarian regimes... while targeting the world's only Jewish state, exposes a disturbing double standard. 'There is no other explanation for this disparity than blatant antisemitism.' 'This government's willingness to engage with authoritarian regimes, including Holocaust deniers like Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, while targeting the world's only Jewish state, exposes a disturbing double standard. 'There is no other explanation for this disparity than blatant anti-semitism.' The Australian Centre for International Justice said the decision was a significant step and would send a clear message. 'These measures directly respond to the compelling evidence implicating Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in inciting extremist violence and serious human rights violations against Palestinians,' acting executive director Lara Khider said.
North Wales Chronicle
40 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Starmer and Reynolds meet US commerce secretary in push to implement trade deal
The Prime Minister dropped in on a meeting between Howard Lutnick and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds in Downing Street on Tuesday. Mr Lutnick was in London for talks with China on resolving the trade war between Washington and Beijing, and Mr Reynolds took the opportunity to meet him in person to push for the UK-US trade deal announced last month to be implemented as soon as possible. The meeting follows talks between the Business Secretary and US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Paris last week. Under the terms of the agreement announced by Sir Keir and Donald Trump, the US will implement import quotas that will effectively eliminate tariffs on British steel and cut the levy on vehicles to 10%. But the deal has yet to be implemented and tariffs on both steel and cars remain at 25%, although the UK has been spared the increase on steel duties to 50% that Mr Trump imposed on the rest of the world last week. In a post on social media, Mr Reynolds said he had discussed 'progress on our trade deal – including UK autos and steel' with Mr Lutnick. UK officials remain hopeful that the deal will be implemented soon, but Tuesday's meeting does not appear to have moved the issue beyond both sides agreeing the need to move quickly. Speaking in the Commons last week, Sir Keir said he was 'very confident' that tariffs would come down in line with the deal 'within a very short time'. Implementing the deal will require the UK to pass legislation, likely to involve regulations rather than a full Act of Parliament, while the US will also need to create a legal mechanism to bring steel and vehicle quotas into effect.
The Guardian
40 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Australia sanctions two Israeli ministers over 'violent' West Bank settlements
Australia's foreign affairs minister Penny Wong announces that Australia will join key allies in sanctioning two Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for inciting violence against Palestinians. 'They are the most extreme proponents of the unlawful and violent settlement enterprise,' Wong tells reporters at a press conference on Wednesday morning
