What We Know About Talks for a Renewed Gaza Cease-Fire
Israel and Hamas both signaled over the weekend that efforts for a renewed cease-fire in Gaza were underway, less than two weeks after the breakdown of a temporary truce and the resumption of Israel's air and ground campaign against the militant group in the enclave.
Hamas said on Saturday that it had accepted a proposal for a new cease-fire, which would see some hostages released from captivity in Gaza. Israel said it, too, had received a proposal via third-party mediators and had responded with a counterproposal in coordination with the United States.
'The military pressure is working,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Sunday in remarks at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting, adding that Israel was 'suddenly seeing cracks' in Hamas's position.
Neither side published details of the proposal or the counterproposal, but an official briefed on the talks suggested that they broadly echoed previous proposals floated in recent weeks. While there was no indication that a breakthrough was imminent, the public statements suggested that after weeks of fruitless negotiations, contacts over a deal were continuing.
What did Hamas say?
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and negotiator, said in a speech on Saturday that his group had received a proposal two days earlier from Egyptian and Qatari mediators for a renewed cease-fire, adding that Hamas had 'responded positively and approved it.'
He did not detail the terms, but recent negotiations, including an unusual round of direct talks between U.S. and Hamas officials, had focused on securing the release of Edan Alexander, the only Israeli American hostage still believed to be alive, as well as the bodies of four other Israeli Americans.
That was a nonstarter for Israel, which had demanded the release of 10 or 11 living hostages for a seven-week extension of the temporary cease-fire, based on an earlier proposal it attributed to the White House Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
What did Israel say?
After Mr. al-Hayya's speech on Saturday, Mr. Netanyahu said he had held a series of consultations on Friday after receiving the proposal, according to a statement from his office. Israel had sent a counterproposal to mediators a few hours earlier, the statement added.
The official briefed on the talks, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss delicate diplomacy, said that Israel still sought the release of 10 living hostages for any resumption of the cease-fire and that Egypt was behind the latest proposal.
Up to 24 living hostages remain in Gaza, according to Israel, along with the remains of another 35 people. They were among the roughly 250 people taken captive during the deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023 that ignited the war.
What are the main sticking points?
Beyond agreeing on the numbers of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be released, any renewed cease-fire will most likely be elusive so long as the two sides remain at odds over more fundamental issues — including irreconcilable demands about the future of Gaza.
Mr. al-Hayya said Hamas was committed to reaching an agreement that would guarantee a permanent cease-fire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, general terms that the sides had already agreed upon to extend the truce that ultimately collapsed.
'We do not want anything new,' Mr. al-Hayya said on Saturday. 'We want to respect what was signed, what the guarantors guaranteed, and what the international community approved.'
Israel has conditioned ending the war on Hamas laying down its arms and relinquishing rule in Gaza. Mr. al-Hayya said the group's 'weapons of resistance' were a 'red line' as long as Israel occupies Palestinian land.
What has changed?
Israel and Hamas have each blamed the other for the collapse of the first phase of the cease-fire that came into effect in mid-January.
But both are now facing heightened pressure to renew the truce.
When the first phase of the cease-fire expired in early March, Israel halted the entry of all commercial goods and humanitarian aid into Gaza, worsening conditions for an already exhausted population in a bid to force Hamas into accepting a temporary extension of the cease-fire instead of negotiating a permanent one.
More than 50,000 Gazans have been killed so far in the war, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, and much of the enclave is in ruins.
Protests have since broken out against Hamas in Gaza. An activist in the protest movement said he was worried that Hamas may now accept another temporary cease-fire so that its security forces can come out of hiding and crack down on the protesters without fear of being attacked by Israel.
Mr. Netanyahu has also come under domestic pressure. Many Israelis have accused him of failing to prioritize the hostages and prolonging the war in Gaza to keep far-right members of his ruling coalition on board to ensure his political survival.
'We are committed to bringing the hostages home,' Mr. Netanyahu said on Sunday, rejecting the popular criticism. 'The combination of military pressure and diplomatic pressure is the only thing that will bring the hostages back,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Democratic governors embrace border security, reject Trump immigrant 'abuses'
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Three prominent Democratic U.S. governors face a grilling on Thursday from a Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives panel over immigration policy, as President Donald Trump steps up a crackdown on people living in the country illegally. The governors of New York, Illinois and Minnesota are due to testify to the House Oversight Committee following days of protests in downtown Los Angeles over the Trump administration's aggressive ramping up of arrests of migrants. Tensions escalated as Trump ordered the National Guard and Marines into California to provide additional security. Trump's immigration crackdown has become a major political flashpoint between the White House and national Democrats. California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, seen as a contender for the party's presidential nomination in 2028, in a Tuesday night video speech accused Trump of choosing "theatrics over public safety." Minnesota's Tim Walz, who ran unsuccessfully for vice president last year; Illinois' JB Pritzker, also seen a 2028 hopeful, and New York's Kathy Hochul, walked a careful line in their prepared testimony for Thursday's hearing, voicing support for immigration enforcement, if not Trump's tactics. "If they are undocumented, we want them out of Illinois and out of our country," Pritzker said. At the same time, Pritzker lashed out against "any violations of the law or abuses of power" and said, "Law-abiding, hardworking, tax-paying people who have been in this country for years should have a path to citizenship." Reuters/Ipsos polls show Trump getting more support for his handling of immigration than any other policy area. "Minnesota is not a sanctuary state," Walz proclaimed, adding that state officials cooperate with federal immigration authorities, while noting that it offers "respect" to cities and counties that choose to give no more than the legal minimum support to the Department of Homeland Security.
Bloomberg
41 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Gaza Aid Foundation Says Five Workers Killed in Hamas Attack
Five Palestinian aid workers were killed and several injured when a bus they were traveling in was attacked by Hamas militants in central Gaza, a foundation backed by the US and Israel said. The vehicle was en route to an aid-distribution center west of the city of Khan Younis when it came under fire at 10 p.m. local time, according to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. It expressed concern that Hamas had taken some of the more than two dozen passengers hostage. Hamas has yet to respond to the accusations.
USA Today
43 minutes ago
- USA Today
I was wrongfully imprisoned abroad. The US must do more to help people like me.
I was wrongfully imprisoned abroad. The US must do more to help people like me. This summer will mark five years since I was wrongfully imprisoned by the Rwandan government. For 939 days I sat in prison, cut off from family and community. It was a nightmare I couldn't escape. Show Caption Hide Caption Mother of freed Hamas-held Israeli-American hostage speaks to son The mother of Israeli-American Edan Alexander, who was held captive for 19 months by Hamas, spoke to her son for the first time since being freed. Paul Rusesabagina, known for his actions during the Rwandan genocide, was arbitrarily detained for 939 days. Arbitrary detentions of Americans abroad have risen significantly, increasing from four countries in 2001 to 27 in 2023. Rusesabagina advocates for stronger U.S. government support for detainees and their families, including clearer agency roles and improved coordination. He highlights the need for improvements to the Levinson Act, urging clearer guidelines for wrongful detention designations and responses, especially for human rights defenders. This summer will mark five years since I was kidnapped and wrongfully imprisoned by the Rwandan government. For 939 days, I sat in prison, cut off from my family and community. I was held in solitary confinement, denied medical care and often unable to speak with my lawyers. The days felt endless ‒ like a nightmare I couldn't escape. For my family, it was a different sort of nightmare. Overnight, their lives were transformed. My wife and children were left to navigate the complex web of U.S. federal offices tasked with hostage recovery. My family became full-time advocates for my return, pleading my case before U.S. government officials and sharing my story with the news media. They recruited everyone from national nonprofits and grassroots organizations to Hollywood celebrities who had first learned my story from the movie 'Hotel Rwanda.' Led by my family's passion and persistence, all of these groups played a role in securing my freedom in 2023. There are no words to describe my gratitude. Alongside that gratitude is my fierce commitment to ensure that no individual ‒ and no family ‒ goes through this alone. More Americans are being detained abroad. We can't leave them behind. Over the past two decades, there has been a significant rise in the overseas arbitrary detention of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents like me. Arbitrary detention means someone is detained without due process, and most of the time as reprisal for exercising their rights or being a member of a targeted group. In 2001, only four countries had arbitrarily detained a U.S. national. In 2023, that number had grown to 27 countries. According to the Foley Foundation, at least 54 Americans were held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas during 2024. Opinion: Terrorists killed James Foley, my journalist son, and threaten others. Democracy needs them to be safe. The stories behind these statistics are chilling. Cambodian American human rights activist Theary Seng was jailed and sentenced to six years in prison for criticizing Cambodia's dictator on social media. Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was sentenced to more than six years after the Russian government accused her of spreading falsehoods about the army. I was jailed without a fair trial and punished for speaking out against Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his repressive regime. Addressing the rise in arbitrary detention, wrongful detention and hostage-taking isn't just about justice on an individual level. It's about safeguarding the very foundation of democracy ‒ the ability to speak out without the threat of a jail cell. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Across administrations and across party lines, the United States has historically been committed to helping people who are wrongfully detained overseas, whether they are U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents like myself or citizens of other countries who are victimized by oppressive regimes. Amid an international context of increasing authoritarianism, it is more important than ever that the U.S. government provide a strong, unified front in fighting for the return of arbitrarily detained individuals and supporting the families left behind. America is capable of protecting its citizens abroad better. I know. My story proves what the U.S. government is capable of when it mobilizes resources and prioritizes democracy. To this day, my daughters speak about the State Department's above-and-beyond efforts to reunite us. For years, congressional representatives championed our cause, writing letters, speaking out and putting pressure on the Kagame regime. But there is still room for improvement. The U.S. government's ability to help detainees and their families is often hindered by the lack of clarity on the specific roles of various government agencies and the logistical difficulty of coordinating with all of those different groups. My family and I recently worked with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the leading nonprofit that took my case to the United Nations when I was detained, to create a new guide that provides strategies and best practices for engaging with the U.S. government on arbitrary detention cases. It's my sincere hope that this resource helps individuals and families who find themselves in our position, desperately trying to secure the return of their loved one. Opinion: Hamas released me. But with my partner still held hostage, I cannot be truly free. Aside from independent resources, we need stronger federal guidance and coordination. The U.S. law that governs hostage recovery, the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act, was passed in 2020 and significantly expanded the U.S. legal framework around arbitrary and wrongful detention. But for all its benefits, the Levinson Act doesn't give enough clarity on how the secretary of State makes wrongful detention designations, which is a crucial component of recovery efforts. It also doesn't provide a clear system for how the United States responds to arbitrary detention, particularly in cases involving human rights defenders. Organizations like the Foley Foundation that work closely with arbitrarily detained people and their families have spent years advocating for changes within the U.S. government. Their recommendations range from establishing a direct line of communication among the president, the special presidential envoy and the director of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell to creating a more comprehensive reintegration support program for returning hostages and wrongful detainees. Admittedly, there is no one catch-all solution. Arbitrary and wrongful detention is a complex challenge, and addressing it requires ongoing collaboration within the government, strong recovery efforts, effective international relations and prevention strategies that tackle root causes. But all of this starts at home, with domestic policies that protect U.S. nationals and safeguard human rights defenders abroad. I escaped that Rwandan prison because of a powerful joint effort among individuals, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. There were many people who stood up and who fought for my freedom. That community saved my life. In a perfect world, no individual or family would ever go through what I did. But until we get to that point, we must stand alongside arbitrarily detained individuals and their families. The U.S. government has an opportunity to continue being a beacon of hope. Paul Rusesabagina is a Rwandan humanitarian activist and former hotel manager whose actions during the 1994 genocide inspired the film "Hotel Rwanda." He has since become an outspoken critic of authoritarianism in Rwanda and a global voice for justice and peace.
