Latest news with #BisharaBahbah
The National
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Gaza truce talks resume in Cairo as Israel presses on with occupation of the territory
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza resumed in Cairo on Monday, with mediators from Egypt, the US and Qatar presenting a slightly amended version of a previous proposal for a 70-day truce and the release of 10 hostages. Sources told The National that a mid-level Israeli team of negotiators and a senior Hamas official arrived in Cairo to join mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar for the latest round of talks. They said the Trump administration is using Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American who led the group Arab Americans for Trump during the 2024 election, as an intermediary with Hamas. The tactic, the sources explained, amounts to a new approach by the Americans that effectively ends the intermediary role played by Qatar and Egypt in indirect negotiations between the Americans and Hamas. Hamas leaders and US mediators are known to have met face-to-face in Doha at least once in recent weeks. The US, along with the EU and Israel, view Hamas as a terrorist group. The sources said Mr Bahbah is involved in the current round of talks, but they could not say if he was in the Egyptian capital. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to suggest that a deal might be possible in a video message released on Monday in which he said: "I really hope we can announce something regarding the hostages, if not today, then tomorrow.' However, his office later released a statement from a "senior official" saying that the Prime Minister had meant only that "we will not give up on our hostages". The US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators have been unsuccessfully trying to broker a ceasefire since the last one ended on March 18, when Israel resumed military operations in Gaza more than two weeks after it halted the entry of humanitarian aid to the territory. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since March 18, taking the death toll since the war began to nearly 54,000, according to figures released by the territory's health ministry. Most of Gaza's built-up areas have been reduced to rubble and the majority of its 2.3 million residents displaced. The sources said the amended proposal provides for the staggered release of 10 hostages; five during the first week of the ceasefire and another five towards its end. Also proposed is the release during the truce of half of the remains of hostages who have died in captivity in Gaza. During the proposed truce, substantial amounts of humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza, where hundreds of thousands are facing acute hunger despite the recent entry of modest amounts of aid. It also includes negotiations on a "long-term" ceasefire that will commence during the 70-day truce, according to the sources. The sources said the Cairo talks were expected to also cover the departure from Gaza of senior Hamas officials as well as those of the group's ally, Islamic Jihad. The sources said that while Hamas officials will go into exile in either Turkey or Algeria, those from Islamic Jihad were likely to go to Iran, which has been the chief supporter of the two militant groups. The sources explained that the latest version of the proposal envisages the staggered release of the 10 hostages rather than freeing all of them in one batch. This change seems to be a nod to Hamas, which wants to hold on to the hostages for as long as it can, given that they are its strongest bargaining chip given the erosion of its military capabilities by Israel. Of the 58 hostages still held by Hamas, only about 20 are believed to be alive, according to Mr Netanyahu. Another slight change is that the latest plan talks about a long-term, rather than permanent, ceasefire. This appears to accommodate Israel's often-repeated assertion that the war will end only when Hamas has been stripped of all its governing and military capabilities and all the hostages and remains are released. The latest round of Gaza talks comes as Israel's war in Gaza draws growing condemnation from the international community over the acute shortage of food, water, fuel and medicine in the territory, as a result of as Israel's blockade. Another part of the backdrop is the leaking of documents showing Israel's plans to control 75 per cent of Gaza's territory within two months, suggesting that the enclave's residents could be relocated to three small zones. The plans were reported by Israel's media, including The Times of Israel and The Jerusalem Post.
Roya News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
'Israel' rejects Hamas proposal for partial captive release deal: Hebrew media
'Israel' on Monday dismissed a proposal put forward by Hamas that called for the release of five captives in exchange for several demands. An 'Israeli' official told The Jerusalem Post that the offer was "very far away from the outline that we are willing to negotiate on." The proposal was reportedly developed by Hamas and relayed to the United States through direct backchannel communications. The US then forwarded the offer to 'Israel' but did not express official support or opposition to the plan. Hamas's proposal included the release of five living captives in return for several demands: the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) withdrawing to their positions in Gaza from two months ago, unrestricted humanitarian aid access across all Gaza areas, ongoing negotiations for the release of remaining captives—both living and deceased—and a form of American recognition of Hamas. This backchannel was reportedly facilitated by Palestinian-American businessman Bishara Bahbah, chair of Arab Americans for Peace, who reportedly helped coordinate previous talks leading to the release of freed captive Edan Alexander. Separately, US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he wants to end the Gaza war "as quickly as possible." Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Trump added, "We want to see if we can stop it. And we've talked to Israel, we want to see if we can stop this whole situation as quickly as possible," expressing hope for positive developments soon.
Middle East Eye
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Hamas, Israel review new truce proposal by mediator of Edan Alexander release: Al Mayadeen
Hamas and Israel are looking into a newly proposed cease fire deal that was put forward by the mediator , who had facilitated the release of ex-Israeli captive Edan Alexander, the Lebanese newspaper Al Mayadeen said on Monday quoting a senior Palestinian official. According to the source, the proposal, which was submitted by Palestinian-American activist Bishara Bahbah, reportedly includes the release of 10 Israeli captives in two stages over the course of a 60-day cease-fire. Hamas agrees to release only five living captives and five bodies in two phases and a 70-day cease fire, on its first and seventh days. It also demands the entrance of 1,000 humanitarian aid trucks daily to Gaza Strip. The two parties are expected to discuss a Hamas agreement in order to 'refrain from any military action against Israel or attempt to arm itself, as well as US guaranteed negotiations on ending the war,' reports the Israeli media outlet Haaretz. The US proposal includes extending the cease fire if the negotiations last. The formation of a transitional government in Gaza, and rebuilding the strip will also be discussed.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US negotiating Israel-Gaza ceasefire with Hamas through American in Doha, source says
The US has been talking with Hamas through an American intermediary in Doha this week in hopes of brokering an Israel-Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to a source familiar with the matter, as US officials say President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with Israel's handling of the conflict. The talks have been led on the US side by Bishara Bahbah, the American-Palestinian who led the group 'Arab Americans for Trump' during the 2024 presidential campaign and who has been working on behalf of the administration, the source said. Bahbah remotely exchanged messages with Hamas earlier this year in what became a critical backchannel to secure Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, the source said. Israel also began indirect talks with Hamas in the Qatari capital on Saturday, and working level dialogue continues. But bolstering the line between the Trump administration and Hamas could give US officials a clearer sense of Hamas's position, particularly as Trump's frustrations have mounted. In the past, the US has gone through Qatar and Egypt to correspond with Hamas. 'It tells me that they think they have a real negotiation happening. They want their own Hamas channel, not through Qatar or Egypt. That is an indicator that they think they can cut through the issues more effectively and also that they think they can influence Hamas,' said Dennis Ross, a former US envoy to the Middle East who is now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. But some other regional experts are skeptical that this channel could lead to a breakthrough, given that Bahbah has limited experience and the Hamas decision makers are based in Gaza. But they argue it underscores that Trump is willing to work around Israel. 'I am not sure if this is a sign of desperation or confusion,' said Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 'Maybe they see him as a window into Hamas thinking, it is certainly plausible.' The growing frustrations among Trump and his top aides with Israel boil down to a key issue: the president wants the war to end – and soon. Trump, multiple sources familiar with the matter said, has been 'annoyed' on several occasions with the pace of talks. And Netanyahu, they fear, is not ready to deal. 'The president obviously wants a deal,' a person close to Trump told CNN. 'It's becoming more clear as talks continue that Bibi isn't quite there.' With Israel launching renewed strikes in Gaza, Vice President JD Vance opted not to visit the country over the weekend following his trip to Italy – a decision sources said was driven in part by logistics, and in part because his presence could have been viewed as a dramatic endorsement of the attacks. 'It would be hard to view the US as truly independent if he had gone,' the official added, calling it 'an overly generous signal of support for what Israel is doing.' Axios first reported on Trump's frustrations and the reasoning behind Vance's decision to skip a stop in Israel. The sources cautioned that Trump's frustrations do not amount to a change in posture in the United States' support of Israel, a country which the president continues to view as one of America's strongest allies. Nor is Trump privately pressuring Israel to halt its renewed military operation in the Gaza strip, said a source familiar with the matter. National Security Council Spokesman Max Bluestein argued in a statement to CNN that it 'is absolutely false' that the administration is frustrated with Israel. 'Israel has had no better friend than President Trump. We continue to work closely with our ally Israel to ensure that remaining hostages in Gaza are freed, that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and that every opportunity for regional economic prosperity – especially the expansion of the Abraham Accords – is exploited. As Secretary [Marco] Rubio explained over the weekend, 'What the President is saying is he doesn't want to end the war until Hamas is defeated,'' Bluestein said. Trump has shown a willingness to approach US foreign policy moves without direct adherence to Israel in recent months, including the announcement of a ceasefire with the Houthis – that did not include strikes on Israel and continued Iran deal talks while Israel has pushed for strikes on Iran's nuclear program. 'There is a litany of actions lately reflecting that Trump will do what he thinks is in the US interest and Israeli considerations aren't foremost in his mind. It's not reflecting a break necessarily with Israel but it's an effort to put energy into US interests,' Ross said. Keeping US interests front and center – especially efforts that Trump wants to pursue in the region more broadly – the administration remains focused on trying to secure a Gaza ceasefire. Bahbah has been coordinating his efforts with Steve Witkoff, the president's Middle East envoy who has also been directly in touch with Netanyahu and his aides. Witkoff recently put forward a new proposal to both Israel and Hamas that could serve as the foundation to getting both sides to agree to another ceasefire, Trump administration officials said. One of the officials said that the US wants humanitarian aid to continue flowing into Gaza, something the Israelis acquiesced to on Sunday after blocking aid into the strip for nearly 11 weeks. Israel 'can achieve their objective of defeating Hamas while still allowing aid to enter in sufficient quantities,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday. 'You have this acute, immediate challenge of food and aid not reaching people, and you have existing distribution systems that could get them there,' Rubio told the Senate Appropriations Committee. Asked if it is an emergency humanitarian situation, Rubio conceded it is. 'Ultimately, I think we all see the same images,' he said. The Trump administration was also pleased with how the talks with Hamas to release Alexander, the last known living American hostage in Gaza, unfolded in recent weeks. Instead of shutting down the channel between Hamas and Bahbah, they elevated it, signing off on in-person talks in Doha. 'His release was widely viewed internally as a goodwill gesture,' a White House official told CNN, adding that they saw the move as a key opportunity to draw Israel and Hamas back to the negotiating table. But just days later, Israeli military forces moved into northern and southern Gaza as part of the 'Gideon's Chariots' operation, which Israel warned would take place if Hamas did not agree to a deal to release hostages. The fresh attacks did little to reassure US officials that a potential ceasefire deal was on the horizon. But Trump's frustrations with Netanyahu began even before the war took another deadly turn this week, the sources familiar with the matter said. One such instance was when the Israeli Prime Minister met privately with the president's then-National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, at the White House to discuss military options against Iran prior to a scheduled meeting in the Oval Office with Trump. The meeting, first reported by the Washington Post, has been cited as a key point of Trump's frustration with Waltz, who was later ousted from his position. But a source familiar with the matter said Trump also took issue with Netanyahu potentially trying to influence Waltz on a sensitive topic before raising it with Trump directly.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US negotiating Israel-Gaza ceasefire with Hamas through American in Doha, source says
The US has been talking with Hamas through an American intermediary in Doha this week in hopes of brokering an Israel-Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to a source familiar with the matter, as US officials say President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with Israel's handling of the conflict. The talks have been led on the US side by Bishara Bahbah, the American-Palestinian who led the group 'Arab Americans for Trump' during the 2024 presidential campaign and who has been working on behalf of the administration, the source said. Bahbah remotely exchanged messages with Hamas earlier this year in what became a critical backchannel to secure Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, the source said. Israel also began indirect talks with Hamas in the Qatari capital on Saturday, and working level dialogue continues. But bolstering the line between the Trump administration and Hamas could give US officials a clearer sense of Hamas's position, particularly as Trump's frustrations have mounted. In the past, the US has gone through Qatar and Egypt to correspond with Hamas. 'It tells me that they think they have a real negotiation happening. They want their own Hamas channel, not through Qatar or Egypt. That is an indicator that they think they can cut through the issues more effectively and also that they think they can influence Hamas,' said Dennis Ross, a former US envoy to the Middle East who is now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. But some other regional experts are skeptical that this channel could lead to a breakthrough, given that Bahbah has limited experience and the Hamas decision makers are based in Gaza. But they argue it underscores that Trump is willing to work around Israel. 'I am not sure if this is a sign of desperation or confusion,' said Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 'Maybe they see him as a window into Hamas thinking, it is certainly plausible.' The growing frustrations among Trump and his top aides with Israel boil down to a key issue: the president wants the war to end – and soon. Trump, multiple sources familiar with the matter said, has been 'annoyed' on several occasions with the pace of talks. And Netanyahu, they fear, is not ready to deal. 'The president obviously wants a deal,' a person close to Trump told CNN. 'It's becoming more clear as talks continue that Bibi isn't quite there.' With Israel launching renewed strikes in Gaza, Vice President JD Vance opted not to visit the country over the weekend following his trip to Italy – a decision sources said was driven in part by logistics, and in part because his presence could have been viewed as a dramatic endorsement of the attacks. 'It would be hard to view the US as truly independent if he had gone,' the official added, calling it 'an overly generous signal of support for what Israel is doing.' Axios first reported on Trump's frustrations and the reasoning behind Vance's decision to skip a stop in Israel. The sources cautioned that Trump's frustrations do not amount to a change in posture in the United States' support of Israel, a country which the president continues to view as one of America's strongest allies. Nor is Trump privately pressuring Israel to halt its renewed military operation in the Gaza strip, said a source familiar with the matter. National Security Council Spokesman Max Bluestein argued in a statement to CNN that it 'is absolutely false' that the administration is frustrated with Israel. 'Israel has had no better friend than President Trump. We continue to work closely with our ally Israel to ensure that remaining hostages in Gaza are freed, that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and that every opportunity for regional economic prosperity – especially the expansion of the Abraham Accords – is exploited. As Secretary [Marco] Rubio explained over the weekend, 'What the President is saying is he doesn't want to end the war until Hamas is defeated,'' Bluestein said. Trump has shown a willingness to approach US foreign policy moves without direct adherence to Israel in recent months, including the announcement of a ceasefire with the Houthis – that did not include strikes on Israel and continued Iran deal talks while Israel has pushed for strikes on Iran's nuclear program. 'There is a litany of actions lately reflecting that Trump will do what he thinks is in the US interest and Israeli considerations aren't foremost in his mind. It's not reflecting a break necessarily with Israel but it's an effort to put energy into US interests,' Ross said. Keeping US interests front and center – especially efforts that Trump wants to pursue in the region more broadly – the administration remains focused on trying to secure a Gaza ceasefire. Bahbah has been coordinating his efforts with Steve Witkoff, the president's Middle East envoy who has also been directly in touch with Netanyahu and his aides. Witkoff recently put forward a new proposal to both Israel and Hamas that could serve as the foundation to getting both sides to agree to another ceasefire, Trump administration officials said. One of the officials said that the US wants humanitarian aid to continue flowing into Gaza, something the Israelis acquiesced to on Sunday after blocking aid into the strip for nearly 11 weeks. Israel 'can achieve their objective of defeating Hamas while still allowing aid to enter in sufficient quantities,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday. 'You have this acute, immediate challenge of food and aid not reaching people, and you have existing distribution systems that could get them there,' Rubio told the Senate Appropriations Committee. Asked if it is an emergency humanitarian situation, Rubio conceded it is. 'Ultimately, I think we all see the same images,' he said. The Trump administration was also pleased with how the talks with Hamas to release Alexander, the last known living American hostage in Gaza, unfolded in recent weeks. Instead of shutting down the channel between Hamas and Bahbah, they elevated it, signing off on in-person talks in Doha. 'His release was widely viewed internally as a goodwill gesture,' a White House official told CNN, adding that they saw the move as a key opportunity to draw Israel and Hamas back to the negotiating table. But just days later, Israeli military forces moved into northern and southern Gaza as part of the 'Gideon's Chariots' operation, which Israel warned would take place if Hamas did not agree to a deal to release hostages. The fresh attacks did little to reassure US officials that a potential ceasefire deal was on the horizon. But Trump's frustrations with Netanyahu began even before the war took another deadly turn this week, the sources familiar with the matter said. One such instance was when the Israeli Prime Minister met privately with the president's then-National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, at the White House to discuss military options against Iran prior to a scheduled meeting in the Oval Office with Trump. The meeting, first reported by the Washington Post, has been cited as a key point of Trump's frustration with Waltz, who was later ousted from his position. But a source familiar with the matter said Trump also took issue with Netanyahu potentially trying to influence Waltz on a sensitive topic before raising it with Trump directly.
