Latest news with #HamasOfficial
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Israel accepts US truce over Gaza
Israel accepts the United States' proposed truce, while a Hamas official says it does not meet the group's demands, the plan is still under review. The partial agreement comes almost 150 days after the last ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended, and in that time aid entering the Gaza Strip has been incredibly low.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel says open to deal that includes 'ending the fighting' in Gaza
Israel signalled Sunday that it was open to striking a deal with Hamas that included "ending the fighting" in Gaza, where rescuers reported dozens killed a day after Israel stepped up its offensive. Israel's military has said the expansion of its campaign is aimed at "achieving all the war's objectives" including releasing hostages and "the defeat of Hamas". But as the intensified operations got underway, Israel and Hamas were entering indirect talks in Qatar that the Palestinian group said were aimed at ending the war. In a statement on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that "even at this very moment, the negotiation team in Doha is working to exhaust every possibility for a deal -- whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting," referring to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff who has been involved in previous discussions. Such a deal, according to Netanyahu's statement, "would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas terrorists, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip". Ever since a two-month ceasefire fell apart in March as Israel resumed its offensive, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to reach a breakthrough. Netanyahu has opposed ending the war without Hamas's total defeat, while Hamas has balked at the prospect of handing over its weapons. Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said on Saturday that the talks in Doha had kicked off "without any preconditions from either side". A Hamas source familiar with the negotiations said that "positions are being exchanged by both sides in an attempt at bridging perspectives", adding the group was approaching the talks with "great flexibility". - 'No one left' - On the ground, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP on Sunday that 22 people were killed and at least 100 others wounded in a predawn attack on tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Al-Mawasi, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFPTV footage showed people sifting through the wreckage of ruined shelters and rescuers treating the wounded. At a hospital in nearby Khan Yunis city, young men mourned over the shrouded bodies of loved ones laid out on the ground outside. "All my family members are gone. There is no one left," said a distraught Warda al-Shaer standing amid the wreckage in Al-Mawasi. "The children were killed as well as their parents. My mother died too, and my niece lost her eye." Bassal said that the "series of violent Israeli air strikes" across Gaza overnight and in the early morning resulted in a total of "at least 33 martyrs, more than half of whom were children". There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel's intensified assault comes as international concern has mounted over worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza due to a blockade on aid imposed on March 2. UN chief Antonio Guterres, addressing an Arab League summit in Baghdad on Saturday, said he was "alarmed" at the escalation and called for "a permanent ceasefire, now". The summit's final statement urged the international community "to exert pressure to end the bloodshed". - Hospitals 'out of service' - In Tel Aviv, demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday to protest against Netanyahu's government and demand it strike a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages. "Instead of bringing them all home by agreeing to the deal that is on the table, Netanyahu is dragging us into a needless political war that will lead to the death of the hostages and soldiers," said protester Zahiro Shahar Mor, nephew of slain hostage Avraham Munder. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead. Israel has faced increasing pressure to lift its aid blockade, as UN agencies warn of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicine. On Sunday, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza accused Israel of laying siege to the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, where it said "a state of panic and confusion is prevailing". The ministry later said Israel had cut off the arrival of patients and staff, "effectively forcing the hospital out of service". With "the shutdown of the Indonesian Hospital, all public hospitals in the North Gaza Governorate are now out of service", it said. Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Gaza health ministry said that at least 3,193 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 53,339. az-smw/ami
Malay Mail
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Netanyahu's govt says Israel open to deal that includes ‘ending the fighting' in Gaza
GAZA CITY, May 18 — Israel signalled today that it was open to striking a deal with Hamas that included 'ending the fighting' in Gaza, where rescuers reported dozens killed a day after Israel stepped up its offensive. Israel's military has said the expansion of its campaign is aimed at 'achieving all the war's objectives' including releasing hostages and 'the defeat of Hamas'. But as the intensified operations got underway, Israel and Hamas were entering indirect talks in Qatar that the Palestinian group said were aimed at ending the war. In a statement today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that 'even at this very moment, the negotiation team in Doha is working to exhaust every possibility for a deal—whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting,' referring to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff who has been involved in previous discussions. Such a deal, according to Netanyahu's statement, 'would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas terrorists, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip'. Ever since a two-month ceasefire fell apart in March as Israel resumed its offensive, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to reach a breakthrough. Netanyahu has opposed ending the war without Hamas's total defeat, while Hamas has balked at the prospect of handing over its weapons. Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said on Saturday that the talks in Doha had kicked off 'without any preconditions from either side'. A Hamas source familiar with the negotiations said that 'positions are being exchanged by both sides in an attempt at bridging perspectives', adding the group was approaching the talks with 'great flexibility'. 'No one left' On the ground, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP today that 22 people were killed and at least 100 others wounded in a predawn attack on tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Al-Mawasi, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFPTV footage showed people sifting through the wreckage of ruined shelters and rescuers treating the wounded. At a hospital in nearby Khan Yunis city, young men mourned over the shrouded bodies of loved ones laid out on the ground outside. 'All my family members are gone. There is no one left,' said a distraught Warda al-Shaer standing amid the wreckage in Al-Mawasi. 'The children were killed as well as their parents. My mother died too, and my niece lost her eye.' Bassal said that the 'series of violent Israeli air strikes' across Gaza overnight and in the early morning resulted in a total of 'at least 33 martyrs, more than half of whom were children'. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel's intensified assault comes as international concern has mounted over worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza due to a blockade on aid imposed on March 2. UN chief Antonio Guterres, addressing an Arab League summit in Baghdad on Saturday, said he was 'alarmed' at the escalation and called for 'a permanent ceasefire, now'. The summit's final statement urged the international community 'to exert pressure to end the bloodshed'. Hospitals 'out of service' In Tel Aviv, demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday to protest against Netanyahu's government and demand it strike a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages. 'Instead of bringing them all home by agreeing to the deal that is on the table, Netanyahu is dragging us into a needless political war that will lead to the death of the hostages and soldiers,' said protester Zahiro Shahar Mor, nephew of slain hostage Avraham Munder. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead. Israel has faced increasing pressure to lift its aid blockade, as UN agencies warn of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicine. On Sunday, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza accused Israel of laying siege to the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, where it said 'a state of panic and confusion is prevailing'. The ministry later said Israel had cut off the arrival of patients and staff, 'effectively forcing the hospital out of service'. With 'the shutdown of the Indonesian Hospital, all public hospitals in the North Gaza Governorate are now out of service', it said. Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Gaza health ministry said that at least 3,193 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 53,339. — AFP
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel says open to deal that includes 'ending the fighting' in Gaza
Israel signalled Sunday that it was open to striking a deal with Hamas that included "ending the fighting" in Gaza, where rescuers reported dozens killed a day after Israel stepped up its offensive. Israel's military has said the expansion of its campaign is aimed at "achieving all the war's objectives" including releasing hostages and "the defeat of Hamas". But as the intensified operations got underway, Israel and Hamas were entering indirect talks in Qatar that the Palestinian group said were aimed at ending the war. In a statement on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that "even at this very moment, the negotiation team in Doha is working to exhaust every possibility for a deal -- whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting," referring to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff who has been involved in previous discussions. Such a deal, according to Netanyahu's statement, "would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas terrorists, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip". Ever since a two-month ceasefire fell apart in March as Israel resumed its offensive, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to reach a breakthrough. Netanyahu has opposed ending the war without Hamas's total defeat, while Hamas has balked at the prospect of handing over its weapons. Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said on Saturday that the talks in Doha had kicked off "without any preconditions from either side". A Hamas source familiar with the negotiations said that "positions are being exchanged by both sides in an attempt at bridging perspectives", adding the group was approaching the talks with "great flexibility". - 'No one left' - On the ground, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP on Sunday that 22 people were killed and at least 100 others wounded in a predawn attack on tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Al-Mawasi, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFPTV footage showed people sifting through the wreckage of ruined shelters and rescuers treating the wounded. At a hospital in nearby Khan Yunis city, young men mourned over the shrouded bodies of loved ones laid out on the ground outside. "All my family members are gone. There is no one left," said a distraught Warda al-Shaer standing amid the wreckage in Al-Mawasi. "The children were killed as well as their parents. My mother died too, and my niece lost her eye." Bassal said that the "series of violent Israeli air strikes" across Gaza overnight and in the early morning resulted in a total of "at least 33 martyrs, more than half of whom were children". There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel's intensified assault comes as international concern has mounted over worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza due to a blockade on aid imposed on March 2. UN chief Antonio Guterres, addressing an Arab League summit in Baghdad on Saturday, said he was "alarmed" at the escalation and called for "a permanent ceasefire, now". The summit's final statement urged the international community "to exert pressure to end the bloodshed". - Hospitals 'out of service' - In Tel Aviv, demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday to protest against Netanyahu's government and demand it strike a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages. "Instead of bringing them all home by agreeing to the deal that is on the table, Netanyahu is dragging us into a needless political war that will lead to the death of the hostages and soldiers," said protester Zahiro Shahar Mor, nephew of slain hostage Avraham Munder. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead. Israel has faced increasing pressure to lift its aid blockade, as UN agencies warn of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicine. On Sunday, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza accused Israel of laying siege to the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, where it said "a state of panic and confusion is prevailing". The ministry later said Israel had cut off the arrival of patients and staff, "effectively forcing the hospital out of service". With "the shutdown of the Indonesian Hospital, all public hospitals in the North Gaza Governorate are now out of service", it said. Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Gaza health ministry said that at least 3,193 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 53,339. az-smw/ami
Sky News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Israel and Hamas resume ceasefire talks after 'extensive strikes' on Gaza
Israel and Hamas said ceasefire talks have resumed in Qatar - even as Israeli forces ramped up a bombing campaign and mobilised for a massive new ground assault. Earlier, the Israeli military said it had been "conducting extensive strikes and mobilising troops" as part of preparations to expand operations in Gaza. Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said Hamas had "refused to discuss negotiations without a cessation of the war", but after the airstrikes and the mobilisation of forces the militant group's representatives "have agreed to sit in a room and seriously discuss the deal". "Israel emphasises that if the talks do not progress, the [military] operation will continue," he added. A Hamas source told Sky News that ceasefire talks began in Doha on Saturday morning. Hamas 'keen to exert all the effort needed' Hamas official Taher al Nono told Reuters news agency that the two sides were involved in discussions without "pre-conditions". He added Hamas was "keen to exert all the effort needed" to help mediators make the negotiations a success. More than 150 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. This week has been one of the deadliest phases of bombardment since a truce collapsed in March and marked a significant escalation in Israel's offensive. The Israeli military's preparations to expand operations in Gaza have included the build-up of tanks and troops along the border. It is part of "Operation Gideon Chariot", which Israel says is aimed at defeating Hamas and getting its hostages back. Trump speaks with freed hostage An Israeli defence official said earlier this month that the operation would not be launched before Donald Trump concluded his visit to the Middle East. The US president ended his trip on Friday, with no apparent progress towards a new peace deal. Ahead of his visit, Hamas released American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander as part of ongoing efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire. On Saturday evening, the White House released a video of the US president speaking with the 21-year-old, who was believed to be the last living American hostage in Gaza. Mr Alexander is heard telling Mr Trump that "you're the only reason I'm here" in the clip, and said: "You saved my life." The US president then tells him: "For a while, we thought we lost you, actually. A lot of people thought you were not around anymore... "Just really honoured, and you're an American, and we love you, and we're going to take good care of you." 3:27 Meanwhile on Saturday, leaders at the annual summit of the Arab League in Baghdad said they were trying to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. They also promised to contribute to the reconstruction of the territory once the war stops. The meeting comes two months after Israel ended a ceasefire reached with the Hamas militant group. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 5 May that Israel was planning an expanded, intensive offensive against Hamas as his security cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing Gaza and controlling aid. This week, Israel said it had bombed the European Hospital because it was home to an underground Hamas base, but Sky News analysis has cast doubt on its evidence. Israel's goal is the elimination of Hamas, which attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing about 250 hostages. Its military response has killed more than 53,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
