Hamas says Israel rejected ceasefire deal releasing all captives in Gaza
Abu Obeida, the longtime spokesperson of the Qassam Brigades, said in a nearly 20-minute prerecorded video released on Friday that the group had in recent months offered a 'comprehensive deal' that would release all captives at once – but it was rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right ministers.
'It has become clear to us that the government of the criminal Netanyahu has no real interest in the captives because they are soldiers,' he said, adding that Hamas favours a deal that guarantees an end to the war, a withdrawal of Israeli forces, and entry of humanitarian aid for besieged Palestinians.
If Israel withdraws from this round of indirect talks held in Qatar, Abu Obeida said, then Hamas does not guarantee a return to any partial deals, including a 60-day deal currently under discussion that would see 10 captives released.
Hamas is still holding 50 people in Gaza, about 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Speaking during a dinner with lawmakers at the White House on Friday, US President Donald Trump claimed another 10 captives will soon be released from Gaza.
'We got most of the hostages back. We're going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly,' Trump said, without providing details.
The US leader has claimed for weeks that a ceasefire and captive deal is imminent, but nothing has materialised.
In his first video message since early March, Abu Obeida also said Hamas fighters are 'ready to continue a long battle of attrition' and will keep up ambushes across Gaza with the aim of killing or capturing invading Israeli soldiers.
He slammed the leaders of Arab and Islamic nations, as well, for their inaction in face of the 'genocide' being committed by Israel, saying, 'Your necks are burdened with the blood of tens of thousands of innocents who were betrayed by your silence.'
The comments come as the talks in Doha have not led to any results as Israel insists on maintaining and expanding military control over Gaza, including the Morag Corridor and the new Magen Oz Corridor that respectively separate Rafah and Khan Younis in the south from the rest of the enclave.
As soldiers continue to block humanitarian aid to the besieged population and kill starving Palestinians at sites run by the controversial GHF, Israel is also advancing with plans to build a concentration camp on the ruins of Rafah despite international criticism.
At least 41 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces on Friday, medical sources confirmed to Al Jazeera.
Latest figures by Gaza's Ministry of Health show that more than 58,667 Palestinians have been killed and 139,974 others wounded since the start of the war in October 2023, including at least 7,843 killed and 27,993 injured since Israel broke the last ceasefire in March.
The ministry added that an 'unprecedented' number of starved people of all ages, including children, are arriving at emergency departments of the few hospitals left partially standing in Gaza in a state of extreme exhaustion and fatigue.
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The Hill
29 minutes ago
- The Hill
What Starmer's plan for the UK to recognize a Palestinian state means
LONDON (AP) — Britain has announced that it will recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, stops building settlements in the West Bank and commits to a two-state solution. The U.K. followed France, which declared last week that it will recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September. More than 140 countries have already taken that step, but France and Britain are significant as members of the Group of Seven and the U.N. Security Council. The two countries hope their bold – if largely symbolic – diplomatic moves will help add pressure on Israel to ease a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza and breathe life into a moribund peace process. What Starmer said Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday that Britain will recognize a Palestinian state in September, 'unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.' He said that included 'allowing the U.N. to restart the supply of aid, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank.″ Starmer also said Hamas must release all the hostages it holds, agree to a ceasefire, disarm and 'accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza' — though he did not make that a condition for recognition. Britain says that's because Hamas has no role in a two-state solution. Britain felt it was now or never Britain has for decades supported an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, but insisted recognition must come as part of a peace plan to achieve a two-state solution. U.K. officials increasingly worry that such a solution is becoming all but impossible – not only because of the razing of Gaza and displacement of most of its population during 22 months of war, but because Israel's government is aggressively expanding settlements in the West Bank, land Palestinians want for their future state. Much of the world regards Israel's occupation of the West Bank as illegal. 'The moment to act is now,' Cabinet minister Heidi Alexander told Times Radio. 'There's the effective annexation of the West Bank happening.' Starmer is also under mounting domestic pressure to do something as horror spreads at the scenes of hunger in Gaza. More than 250 of the 650 lawmakers in the House of Commons signed a letter in recent days urging the British government to recognize a Palestinian state. Opinion polls suggest far more Britons support recognition than oppose it, though a large number are undecided. Reaction is polarized Israel quickly condemned the British move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejects the two-state solution on both nationalistic and security grounds, said Starmer's announcement 'rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims.' The families of Israelis taken hostage by Hamas were also critical. 'Recognizing a Palestinian state while 50 hostages remain trapped in Hamas tunnels amounts to rewarding terrorism,' said the Hostages Family Forum, which represents many hostages' relatives. Emily Damari, a British-Israeli national who was held captive for more than a year, called Starmer's stance 'a moral failure.' The British statement was welcomed by the Palestinian Authority, which Britain views as a legitimate representative of Palestinians. It has limited autonomy in pockets of the occupied West Bank. Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Authority's envoy in London, said Britain's statement 'is a corrective to over a century of dispossession, during which the Palestinian people have been deprived of our land, liberty and lives.' Limited influence, historical weight In practice, Britain's influence on Israel is limited. The U.K. government has suspended free trade talks and halted some arms shipments to Israel over its conduct of the war, but is not a major economic or military partner. History has, however, given Britain a particular interest and role in the Middle East. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Britain bears a 'special burden of responsibility' as the former governing power of what was then Palestine and author of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which backed the establishment of a Jewish homeland, but also pledged to protect the rights of the Palestinian population. 'This has not been upheld, and it is a historical injustice which continues to unfold,' Lammy said at the U.N. on Tuesday. Most of Britain's main political parties support a two-state solution. But the right-of-center opposition Conservatives said Starmer's announcement was premature. 'Recognition of a Palestinian state is only meaningful if it is part of a formal peace process and cannot happen while hostages are still being held in terrorist captivity and while Hamas' reign of terror continues,' said Priti Patel, the party's foreign affairs spokeswoman. Ed Davey, leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, welcomed Starmer's statement as a step forward but said the prime minister should not use Palestinian statehood as 'a bargaining chip.' The move may spark diplomatic momentum Britain and France hope other countries will follow their move. On Tuesday, European Union member Malta said it, too, would recognize a Palestinian state in September. Germany, a major European power and strong ally of Israel, remains a holdout. Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated his country's position that recognition of a Palestinian state 'can be one of the last steps on the road to realizing a two-state solution,' but that Berlin has no plans for recognition 'in the short term.' Real clout rests with the U.S., and Starmer's cautious approach may be designed to persuade President Donald Trump to take a tougher line with his ally Netanyahu. The prospects are uncertain, to say the least. Asked about Britain's stance on Tuesday, Trump said: 'We have no view on that.' Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East expert at international affairs think tank Chatham House, said there is 'no doubt' that a global majority supports Palestinian statehood, but that's not enough to make it a reality. 'British recognition or French recognition doesn't make it internationally recognized,' he said. 'You need the (U.N.) Security Council — and that is not going to happen because of a certain person in the White House.'
Hamilton Spectator
29 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
What Starmer's plan for the UK to recognize a Palestinian state means
LONDON (AP) — Britain has announced that it will recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, stops building settlements in the West Bank and commits to a two-state solution. The U.K. followed France, which declared last week that it will recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September. More than 140 countries have already taken that step, but France and Britain are significant as members of the Group of Seven and the U.N. Security Council. The two countries hope their bold – if largely symbolic – diplomatic moves will help add pressure on Israel to ease a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza and breathe life into a moribund peace process. What Starmer said Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday that Britain will recognize a Palestinian state in September, 'unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.' He said that included 'allowing the U.N. to restart the supply of aid, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank .″ Starmer also said Hamas must release all the hostages it holds, agree to a ceasefire, disarm and 'accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza' — though he did not make that a condition for recognition. Britain says that's because Hamas has no role in a two-state solution. Britain felt it was now or never Britain has for decades supported an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, but insisted recognition must come as part of a peace plan to achieve a two-state solution. U.K. officials increasingly worry that such a solution is becoming all but impossible – not only because of the razing of Gaza and displacement of most of its population during 22 months of war, but because Israel's government is aggressively expanding settlements in the West Bank , land Palestinians want for their future state. Much of the world regards Israel's occupation of the West Bank as illegal. 'The moment to act is now,' Cabinet minister Heidi Alexander told Times Radio. 'There's the effective annexation of the West Bank happening.' Starmer is also under mounting domestic pressure to do something as horror spreads at the scenes of hunger in Gaza . More than 250 of the 650 lawmakers in the House of Commons signed a letter in recent days urging the British government to recognize a Palestinian state. Opinion polls suggest far more Britons support recognition than oppose it, though a large number are undecided. Reaction is polarized Israel quickly condemned the British move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejects the two-state solution on both nationalistic and security grounds, said Starmer's announcement 'rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims.' The families of Israelis taken hostage by Hamas were also critical. 'Recognizing a Palestinian state while 50 hostages remain trapped in Hamas tunnels amounts to rewarding terrorism,' said the Hostages Family Forum, which represents many hostages' relatives. Emily Damari, a British-Israeli national who was held captive for more than a year, called Starmer's stance 'a moral failure.' The British statement was welcomed by the Palestinian Authority, which Britain views as a legitimate representative of Palestinians. It has limited autonomy in pockets of the occupied West Bank. Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Authority's envoy in London, said Britain's statement 'is a corrective to over a century of dispossession, during which the Palestinian people have been deprived of our land, liberty and lives.' Limited influence, historical weight In practice, Britain's influence on Israel is limited. The U.K. government has suspended free trade talks and halted some arms shipments to Israel over its conduct of the war, but is not a major economic or military partner. History has, however, given Britain a particular interest and role in the Middle East. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Britain bears a 'special burden of responsibility' as the former governing power of what was then Palestine and author of the 1917 Balfour Declaration , which backed the establishment of a Jewish homeland, but also pledged to protect the rights of the Palestinian population. 'This has not been upheld, and it is a historical injustice which continues to unfold,' Lammy said at the U.N. on Tuesday. Most of Britain's main political parties support a two-state solution. But the right-of-center opposition Conservatives said Starmer's announcement was premature. 'Recognition of a Palestinian state is only meaningful if it is part of a formal peace process and cannot happen while hostages are still being held in terrorist captivity and while Hamas' reign of terror continues,' said Priti Patel, the party's foreign affairs spokeswoman. Ed Davey, leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, welcomed Starmer's statement as a step forward but said the prime minister should not use Palestinian statehood as 'a bargaining chip.' The move may spark diplomatic momentum Britain and France hope other countries will follow their move. On Tuesday, European Union member Malta said it, too, would recognize a Palestinian state in September. Germany, a major European power and strong ally of Israel, remains a holdout. Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated his country's position that recognition of a Palestinian state 'can be one of the last steps on the road to realizing a two-state solution,' but that Berlin has no plans for recognition 'in the short term.' Real clout rests with the U.S., and Starmer's cautious approach may be designed to persuade President Donald Trump to take a tougher line with his ally Netanyahu. The prospects are uncertain, to say the least. Asked about Britain's stance on Tuesday, Trump said: 'We have no view on that.' Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East expert at international affairs think tank Chatham House, said there is 'no doubt' that a global majority supports Palestinian statehood, but that's not enough to make it a reality. 'British recognition or French recognition doesn't make it internationally recognized,' he said. 'You need the (U.N.) Security Council — and that is not going to happen because of a certain person in the White House.' ___ Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this story. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Fox News
30 minutes ago
- Fox News
'Pod Save America' Obama bros want to see Democrats totally cut off aid to Israel
"Pod Save America" co-host and former Obama spokesperson Tommy Vietor said he hopes for a "total mindset change" in military support for Israel on Tuesday. Though Vietor emphasized that Hamas committed an "evil act of terror" against Israel, he, along with his fellow podcast hosts, believed that Israel was guilty of "dehumanizing" the people in Gaza. As a result, Vietor said that any Democratic presidential candidate needs to campaign to end federal aid to the country. "The thing I want to see Democrats at least calling for is cutting off military assistance to Israel. It's a rich country, by the way. They don't need our $3 billion a year," Vietor said. He acknowledged former President Barack Obama previously signed a deal to provide aid to Israel while in office but argued that Democrats should take this opportunity to "correct it." "I would like to see talk about sanctioning Israeli government officials who use genocidal rhetoric or who talk about ethnic cleansing openly. We should support a ceasefire resolution at the UN. We should demand that international press be allowed into the Gaza Strip to report on what's happening without an IDF minder. It's insane that the press still can't go into Gaza and cover what's happening," Vietor said. He continued, "And I also think there has to be a total mindset change in the Democratic Party. When the war ends, we are not going back to the pre-October 7th status quo, because it's not where the party is. It's not where the world is. We are not going to shovel billions a year in military aid. We're not going to veto every effort to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN. We should not take money from AIPAC." "I will hold out hope for better political leadership in the US and in Israel, but we have to also recognize that the Biden-era, hug-Bibi-Netanyahu strategy has to be thrown in the trash can for f---ing ever," Vietor added. Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett agreed that there will have to be a "shift" in the Democratic Party that would include "putting far more pressure on Israel." Fellow Obama aide Jon Favreau also called cutting off military aid to Israel the "least" the U.S. can do after its actions. Though Lovett and Vietor said Democrats need to press harder against Israel, several Democratic lawmakers have already openly attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's actions during its ongoing war against Hamas. Last month, members of the House's progressive "Squad," including Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., denounced Netanyahu as a "war criminal" after his government launched attacks on Tehran and surrounding areas.
