Truce Talks grind on, Israel hammers Gaza
'We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire,' Steve Witkoff said during a meeting of Trump's Cabinet members.
Witkoff said the deal would include Hamas releasing 10 living hostages. Efforts to secure a temporary ceasefire have been stalled for months but the mediators in Doha recently presented another proposal, which reports say provides for the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip for at least 60 days, the staggered release of 10 Israeli hostages, and the return of the remains of dead hostages.
In return, a large number of Palestinian prisoners would be released from Israeli prisons.
During the ceasefire, the two sides would attempt to negotiate a permanent end to the war.
Israel's military chief also said 'conditions have been created' for the advancement of a hostage release deal in Gaza, as indirect negotiations were under way between Israel and Hamas.
'We have achieved many significant results, we have caused great damage to the governance and military capabilities of Hamas,' armed forces chief Eyal Zamir said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his meeting with President Donald Trump had focused on freeing hostages held in Gaza, as Israel continued to pound the Palestinian territory amid efforts to reach a ceasefire.
Trump met Netanyahu on Tuesday for the second time in two days to discuss the situation in Gaza. Hamas official Taher al Nono said they were engaged in a 'difficult round' of negotiations.
The top issue for the group's negotiators was the free flow of aid into Gaza as well as the location of withdrawal lines of Israeli forces. — Agencies
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Times of Oman
2 hours ago
- Times of Oman
"Fueling Putin's war machine": US Senators say penalise India, China, Brazil with 500% tarriff to deter trade with Russia
Washington DC [US]: Amid US President Donald Trump call for imposing 100 per cent "secondary tariffs" on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to end the conflict in Ukraine within 50 days, Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal have warned countries, including India, of economic sanctions if they continue business with Russia. South Carolina Republican Senator Graham and Democratic Senator Bluementhal are leading 85 cosponsors on a bipartisan bill they introduced in Congress earlier this year calling for implementing sanctions on Moscow, which they say could be a "sledgehammer" President Trump needs to end the conflict. "We'll continue to push for Senator Graham & my Russia Sanctions bill with even tougher penalties to deter India, China, Brazil & others from fueling Putin's war machine. Congressional action sends a powerful message of support," Richard Bluementhal said in a post on his social media handle X. As per a joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal, China, India, and Brazil and other nations "that prop up Putin's war machine" by purchasing "cheap Russian oil and gas", which that claim is fuelling Putin's effort in the conflict with Russia. It called for the imposition of tariffs as high as 500 per cent on any country that helps Russia. Trump announced "secondary tariffs" on Russia during his meeting with NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte on Monday (US local time). Democratic Senator Blumenthal, in a post, lauded the US President's decision, calling it a "breakthrough step" while slamming Putin by calling him a "thug". He further called for pushing the bill, "Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025", introduced by him and Senator Graham on April 1, noting that the bill will impose "tougher penalties to deter India, China, Brazil" and other countries that are still in business with Moscow. "The President's announcement is a breakthrough step--committing to both substantial military aid & strong sanctions. It recognizes the urgency of showing sledgehammer strength--because peace through strength is the only viable strategy with a thug like Putin," Blumenthal post on X read A joint statement by Graham and Blumenthal noted that Trump's announcement was a strong executive measure to push all parties toward negotiations with the true aim to compel Putin to engage in peace talks. "The ultimate hammer to bring about the end of this war will be tariffs against countries, like China, India and Brazil, that prop up Putin's war machine by purchasing cheap Russian oil and gas. President Trump's decision to announce the implementation of 100 percent secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas if a peace agreement is not reached in the next 50 days is a real executive hammer to drive the parties to the negotiating table. The goal is not more tariffs and sanctions - the goal is to entice Putin to come to the peace table," the statement read. "Finally, as President Trump indicated, we will join our colleagues in continuing to work with the White House on our bipartisan Russia sanctions legislation that would implement up to 500 percent tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas and do not help Ukraine," it said. Trump, during his meeting with the NATO chief, stated that he was "very unhappy" with Russia and announced the imposition of the 100 per cent tariffs on Russia if a peace deal wasn't made within 50 days. "One of the reasons that you're here today is to hear that we are very unhappy - I am - with Russia. But we will discuss that maybe another day. But we're very, very unhappy with them, and we're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days. Tariffs at about 100 percent. You'd call them secondary tariffs. But today, we're going to talk about something else," Trump had said. Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that the Indian embassy and ambassador have been in touch with Senator Graham regarding the bill on Russia and that "India will have to cross that bridge if it comes to it." Addressing a press conference, Jaishankar had stated that India's concerns and interests on energy and security have been made conversant to Graham. When asked about US plans to impose a 500 per cent tariff on the import of Russian oil, Jaishankar said, "Regarding Senator Lindsey Graham's bill, any development which is happening in the US Congress is of interest to us if it impacts our interest or could impact our interest. So we have been in touch with Senator Lindsey Graham. The embassy, ambassador have been in touch. Our concerns and our interests on energy, security have been made conversant to him. So we'll then have to cross that bridge when we come to it. If we come to it."
Observer
2 hours ago
- Observer
Gaza truce talks limp on but US hopes for deal
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Observer
2 hours ago
- Observer
Mediators toil to wrap up Gaza talks
GAZA CITY: Stuttering Gaza ceasefire talks entered a second week on Monday, with meditators seeking to close the gap between Israel and Hamas, as more than 20 people were killed across the Palestinian territory. The indirect negotiations in Qatar appear deadlocked after both sides blamed the other for blocking a deal for the release of hostages and a 60-day ceasefire after 21 months of fighting. An official with knowledge of the talks said they were "ongoing" in Doha on Monday, saying: "Discussions are currently focused on the proposed maps for the deployment of Israeli forces within Gaza." "Mediators are actively exploring innovative mechanisms to bridge the remaining gaps and maintain momentum in the negotiations," the source added on condition of anonymity. Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who wants to see the Palestinian militant group destroyed as a fighting force — of being the main obstacle. "Netanyahu is skilled at sabotaging one round of negotiations after another, and is unwilling to reach any agreement," the group wrote on Telegram. In Gaza, the civil defence agency said at least 22 people were killed on Monday in the latest Israeli strikes in and around Gaza City and in Khan Yunis in the south. An Israeli military statement said troops had destroyed "buildings and terrorist infrastructure" used by Hamas in Gaza City's Shujaiya and Zeitun areas. The Al Quds Brigades — has fought alongside Hamas — released footage on Monday that it said showed its fighters firing missiles at an Israeli army command and control centre near Shujaiya. US President Donald Trump said he was still hopeful of securing a truce deal, telling reporters on Sunday night: "We are talking and hopefully we're going to get that straightened out over the next week." Hamas's top negotiator, Khalil al Hayya, and the leadership of Hamas held a "consultative meeting" in Doha on Sunday evening to "coordinate visions and positions", a Palestinian source with knowledge of the talks said. "Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators continue their efforts that make Israel present a modified withdrawal map that would be acceptable," they added. On Saturday, the same source said Hamas rejected Israeli proposals to keep troops in more than 40 per cent of Gaza, as well as plans to move Palestinians into an enclave on the border with Egypt. A senior Israeli political official countered by accusing Hamas of inflexibility and trying to deliberately scupper the talks by "clinging to positions that prevent the mediators from advancing an agreement". — AFP
