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Al Manar
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Manar
Gaza Ceasefire Talks Advance as Trump Says Deal with Hamas ‘Very Close'
Efforts to halt the war in Gaza gained new momentum early Saturday as US President Donald Trump said that Hamas and the Israeli occupation are seeking 'a way out of the chaos,' indicating that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza could be imminent. His remarks come after earlier affirming that negotiations were nearing a breakthrough, as the Israeli offensive in Gaza faces mounting international condemnation over the scale of civilian casualties and destruction. Speaking from the White House late Friday, Trump stated that 'Hamas and Israel are very close to reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. We'll let you know later today or perhaps tomorrow. We have a real opportunity.' The statement signaled a potential turning point in months of conflict and behind-the-scenes diplomacy. US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that he believes they're 'very close' to a new ceasefire in Gaza. Earlier, Israel warned Hamas to accept the US-backed proposal or be 'annihilated' — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) May 31, 2025 Hamas Engaged in Talks as Ceasefire Framework Emerges On Friday, Hamas confirmed it is holding consultations with Palestinian factions regarding a ceasefire proposal submitted by US Middle East envoy Steve Weitkov. The proposal was delivered through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. In a statement, Hamas said it was discussing the terms of the ceasefire offer with allied Palestinian groups, signaling serious engagement with the initiative. In response, Israeli War Minister Yisrael Katz said Hamas must now decide between accepting the terms of the Weitkov proposal—including the release of Israeli captives—or facing full-scale annihilation. On the same day, Israeli Channel 12 quoted Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi as saying that if a deal is within reach, military operations should be paused to secure it, even if the agreement is partial. He emphasized that Israel cannot allow itself to be drawn into an indefinite war. The Zionist cabinet had already approved the Weitkov plan on Thursday. According to Israeli media, the proposal is seen as the most favorable to Israel among all previous ceasefire frameworks discussed since the conflict began. Details of the Weitkov Proposal According to reports by Al Jazeera, the US proposal centers on a 60-day ceasefire, during which Israel would suspend all offensive military operations in Gaza. Trump is said to personally guarantee Israeli compliance with the terms during the truce period. The proposal includes the release of 10 live Israeli captives and the remains of 18 others from a list of 58 detainees. Under the terms, five live captives and nine bodies would be handed over on the first day of the agreement, with the remaining detainees released on the seventh day. In exchange, the Israeli occupation would release 180 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life, along with 1,111 individuals from Gaza arrested since October 7, 2023. Additionally, the remains of 180 deceased Palestinians would be returned in exchange for the bodies of the 18 Zionist captives. The agreement also stipulates the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza upon Hamas's approval of the ceasefire. Aid distribution would be conducted through mutually agreed channels, including the United Nations and the Red Crescent, and maintained throughout the duration of the truce. On the first day of implementation of the agreement, according to the 'Wittkopf Proposal,' negotiations will begin under the auspices of the guarantor mediators regarding the arrangements necessary for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Middle East Eye
14 hours ago
- General
- Middle East Eye
Palestinian woman buries husband alone after two months trapped under Israeli siege
In a garden in southern Gaza under Israeli attacks, Aziza Qishta dug a grave with her bare hands. With no shroud, the 65-year-old Palestinian wrapped her husband's body in a window curtain and buried him alone. Ibrahim Qishta, 70, had died after being struck in the neck by shrapnel during Israel's military incursion into Rafah earlier this year. For two months, the couple remained trapped in their home in Khirbet al-Adas, surviving off dwindling supplies as air strikes and shelling pounded the city. When neighbours fled, Ibrahim refused to be displaced, and his wife refused to leave him behind. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Since Israel broke the Gaza ceasefire in March, the army has killed nearly 4,000 Palestinians, bringing the death toll since October 2023 to over 54,000. In the following account, Aziza tells her story to the Middle East Eye. Trapped for two months When the Israeli army re-invaded Rafah in March and imposed a full siege, all of Aziza's children fled the area. Ibrahim, however, refused to leave. 'He was blind, unable to move on his own,' Qishta told MEE. 'He told me: 'I'm not leaving the house, and you'll stay with me.'' Her reply was unwavering: 'Of course. I won't leave you after 50 years together. Never.' Aziza Qishta surrounded by her grandchildren (MEE/Ahmad Aziz) For two months, they remained in the house. With movement impossible and supplies scarce, they survived on stored provisions - canned food, beans, rice, lentils, vermicelli, jam, and pasta. Water was fetched from a nearby building whenever possible. 'Day and night, we were surrounded by shelling - east, north, west,' she said. 'The worst was from the west.' They could hear Israeli gunfire, jets, and tanks all around them. 'We couldn't move,' she explained. Even when her son's house next door was bombed and collapsed, they stayed put. 'My husband insisted on staying, and I stayed with him.' Her cousins were in a nearby house that was also hit. 'It collapsed on them. More than 10 of them are still under the rubble today.' 'I had no one to help me' - Aziza Qishta, Palestinian woman Then, one day, a loud explosion struck the building's iron gate. 'Dust filled the house. When it cleared, I saw the house around us had been destroyed,' Qishta said. Only a single room and a bathroom were left. 'Suddenly, I saw my husband bleeding from his neck - he had been hit by shrapnel.' When she spotted the injury, she rushed to him, tending to his wound, washing his face, applying antiseptic, and wrapping him up. Despite his heavy weight, she lifted him onto her back. 'I had no one to help me. We moved slowly. I would stop to let him rest, then continue,' she explained. For five hours, Ibrahim continued to bleed. 'We were alone. No voices, no light.' Final hours Eventually, she reached her cousin's house and laid him down on a mattress. 'I said: 'Let me get you some food,' but he refused.' He accepted only a spoonful of honey and later asked for some water. 'Then he said: 'Pour some water on my head.'' Aziza stayed by his side throughout. 'I laid him down, sat next to him, never leaving his side.' She noticed his left hand trembling and offered to massage it. 'He said: 'No, leave it.' Then suddenly, it went limp.' When she looked at his face, he had passed away. 'There were no soldiers around,' she said. 'They come, bomb, and leave.' A photo of Israeli troops in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, released on 18 October 2024 (Israeli Army via AFP) Alone, she searched the garden and found a small hole near an olive tree. With no shroud, she used a window curtain to wrap his body and began to roll him into the hole by herself. 'I placed his body in a plastic bag and continued rolling him gently. It took me two hours of exhaustion. But God gave me strength.' She buried him with her own hands, covering the body first with a zinc sheet, then wood, and finally soil. 'I recited Ayat al-Kursi and Surah Yasin from the Quran over him and wept silently.' 'I recited Ayat al-Kursi and Surah Yasin from the Quran over him and wept silently' - Aziza Qishta After the burial, she returned home. 'I bathed, and for the first time in two months, I slept deeply from sheer exhaustion.' Ibrahim was killed on 10 May but Aziza remained alone in the house for another two weeks, until 24 May, when the last of the food and water ran out. That day, she began to suspect that the grave might have been bombed. 'I heard the buzzing of drones and gunfire.' The following day, she went to check. 'I found the zinc pierced with bullets, and his head exposed.' Her voice heavy, she recalled: 'My heart broke. I picked up his head, it felt as light as a loaf of bread, and returned it to the grave, dug a bit deeper, added a new piece of zinc and wood, and buried him again.' She said she didn't feel fear or hesitation, 'just pain, and patience'. 'I returned home, made a cup of tea, and had a simple breakfast,' she said. 'I had just 250 millilitres of clean water left.' Confrontation with soldiers Eventually, she decided to leave and confront the Israeli army. Carrying a stick with a white cloth and two small bags, she walked to a military checkpoint. 'They told me to stop and threw me a leaking water bottle,' she said. 'Then a tank approached and threw another.' Ordered to empty her bags, which held some medicine and clothes, she was then told: 'We want to take your photo.' 'This isn't me': Israeli war and healthcare collapse leave Gaza child unrecognisable Read More » When she explained she was wearing a hijab, they demanded she remove it. 'I refused. A soldier shouted, and about twenty of them pointed guns at me, saying: 'If you don't remove it, we'll kill you.' So I removed it, broken.' They made her walk with them but after ten minutes, she told them she was too tired to continue, so they placed her in a jeep. 'One soldier spoke Arabic. He asked my name and about my children. I told him I had four sons and nine daughters. He asked why my husband hadn't left earlier. I said: 'He refused, and I couldn't leave him.'' They told her to wait under a palm tree, but she insisted on moving. They left her near a place called Marj, where she then got lost for four hours. She said she then found an aid centre run by the Israeli army and an American company. 'They told me: 'Head north. Don't go east or west.'' Eventually, she reached a camp for displaced people, near Rafah. 'They told me to head for Khan Younis.' On the way, she met four young men. 'I gave them my name. They called the Qishta family, my family, and they came to get me.'
Middle East Eye
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Morning updates on the Israeli war on Gaza
Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest updates from the Israeli war on Gaza, now in its 603rd day: Israeli forces have once again opened fire on Palestinians seeking aid at the US-run distribution point in central Gaza. On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed an entire family in Gaza City, including two parents and their three children.
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- General
- Middle East Eye
Eid al-Adha 2025: When is it and everything else you need to know
The Islamic celebration of Eid al-Adha is just around the corner and for the world's 1.8 billion Muslims, preparations are already underway for the annual festivity. Often referred to as "the big Eid," Eid al-Adha is considered the more significant religious event in comparison to Eid al-Fitr, which occurs approximately two months earlier and follows the holy month of Ramadan. Eid al-Adha notably marks the end of Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, which is one of the five pillars of Islam and obligatory for those who are financially and physically able to complete it at least once in their lifetime. Here, Middle East Eye answers some key questions about the celebration. What is Eid al-Adha and when will it fall this year? Eid al-Adha, which translates to "festival of sacrifice", is a four-day celebration that falls on the tenth day of the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, known as Dhu al-Hijjah. This year, Eid al-Adha will likely begin on 6 June. Because Islam uses the lunar calendar, the date for Eid changes every year depending on the sighting of the new moon, which signals the start of the month. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Some countries may celebrate Eid on different days depending on the sighting of the new moon in their country. Why is Eid al-Adha celebrated? The festival is symbolic of an important story within Islamic tradition. It celebrates the willingness of the Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) to sacrifice his son Ismael in obedience to a command of God. Muslims believe that Abraham was spared the heartbreaking sacrifice when God provided him with a lamb to slaughter instead. The sacrifice is a reminder of the prophet's willingness to give up something precious to him for the sake of God, and reminds Muslims to place their relationship with God before worldly concerns. The story is similar to Christian and Jewish accounts, in which God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, but then spared him from doing so. The event demonstrated the prophet's devotion to God and willingness to abide by God's commands. How do people mark Eid al-Adha? In a symbolic echo of the prophetic story, Muslims will typically sacrifice a sheep and distribute the meat. Many butchers will be busy cutting the meat and dividing it for people to take home or distribute. In some countries, a goat or camel is sacrificed instead. The sacrificed animal is cut into thirds, with one portion given to impoverished people, another shared amongst friends and relatives and the final to be eaten by the family. This Islamic tradition of sacrifice is referred to as Qurbani or Udhiya. Street vendors sell colourful balloons in celebration of Eid in Karachi, Pakistan (AFP/Asif Hassan) In many countries, the practice is carried out in slaughterhouses or at butchers. In some parts of the Middle East, this will be done in large open areas or even in the streets. On the morning of Eid, Muslims will typically decorate their homes, wear their best clothes and head to a mosque for Eid prayers. After prayer, most families will host gatherings with an array of traditional foods, and invite friends and relatives over. Friends will often go out together, as the occasion serves as an opportunity for people to gather and spend quality time together. Another key focus of Eid is to give charity to the less fortunate, and focus on spirituality. Is Eid al-Adha a public holiday? Eid is a public holiday in many Middle Eastern countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as Muslim-majority states beyond the region such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia and Afghanistan. Despite efforts, Eid is not a public holiday in the UK and the US. However, in some areas with significant Muslim populations, businesses may choose to close or open later in the day. What food is eaten on Eid al-Adha? Most food at Eid is based on the meat that is sacrificed, which forms the basis of stews, roasts and barbecues. Fattah is a quintessential dish typically eaten on Eid al-Adha - it consists of a bed of white rice, topped with pieces of lamb and toasted pitta chips, and drenched with a tangy garlic and tomato sauce. The dish, which is best known in Egypt, has other variations across the Middle East. In some countries around the region, it is made with chicken, and a yoghurt and tahini sauce is used instead. In Oman, lamb shuwa is popular for its size, flavour and the convivial gatherings that centre around it. The slow-cooked lamb is marinated for hours then placed on top of a large platter of flavourful rice, from where it is picked at by diners. No Eid is complete without sweet treats, which are enjoyed by adults and children alike: staples include fragrant orange and coconut semolina; and qatayef, pancake-like pillows of batter stuffed with sweet cheese and nuts. Others include asabe Zainab (Zinab's fingers), a deep-fried pastry from Oman that is soaked in syrup, and kunafa, one of the hallmark desserts of the Middle East.
Middle East Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Chaos and killings: Israeli army shoots three dead during Rafah aid distribution
Starving Palestinians have expressed anger and dismay after the Israeli military shot at crowds of Palestinians who gathered at an aid distribution centre in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Tuesday. There were chaotic scenes in Rafah on Tuesday as starving Palestinians rushed inside a facility holding aid, due to long delays conducting security checks on recipients. Israeli gunfire killed three and injured at least 46 others. Moaz Abu Musa, who was among those heading towards the aid distribution point in Rafah, told Middle East Eye that thousands made their way to the area, despite the dangers of overcrowding. "Only a small number of civilians received aid supplies, around 10 percent. Meanwhile, the rest just went back after shots were fired [by the Israeli army], killing several people, and it was difficult to retrieve their bodies," he explained. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters He said the Israeli military deliberately attacked the civilians, with tanks firing shells at civilians from a distance of around 500 metres. The army was using both aerial and ground military equipment to launch its assault on civilians, according to Abu Musa, who lost a relative during the attack. Speaking to MEE on Wednesday, Abu Musa said the bodies of those killed in the assault alongside the wounded had not been retrieved or rescued due to the instability in the area. He added that the American teams present at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) compound in Rafah responsible for distributing supplies had fled the area, and did not return to complete their work. 'No food or water' One Palestinian man who was near the scene selling aid he received from yesterday told MEE he had come from the north to the south of Gaza as they have "no food or water". "When the American teams began distributing aid, the people rushed [forwards], and they all began taking supplies. The army began shooting at us directly," Jamal Raed recalled, adding that there were perhaps 10,000 people crowding in the area. "Whoever was able to get out of the area intact should praise God. If anyone fell [during the overcrowding] no one is going to be able to look for you. Everyone is putting themselves first, everyone is just concerned with feeding their own kids and family." Raed added that if there was another aid allocation happening, he would not go if the same chaos ensues, saying: "I wouldn't come back, because what we saw yesterday was the day of judgement ... they were shooting at us directly." Break down of order The chaos erupted as starvation looms across Gaza since an Israeli blockade on all aid that began on 2 March. Israeli media reported that American security staff at the GHF compound in Rafah had to be rescued once they lost control. The GHF emerged earlier this month as Israeli officials began briefing the UN and international NGOs about their new detailed plan to take over - and restrict - aid distribution in the besieged strip. Senior humanitarian officials and aid organisations have condemned the GHF, arguing that a new body is unnecessary. Instead, they say Israel must stop obstructing the existing UN-led system and allow aid to flow unimpeded. Palestinians speaking to MEE expressed outrage over the lack of preparation and the poor handling at the distribution point. Gaza Humanitarian Foundation: Israel's new model for weaponised aid Read More » Mohammad al-Sedeideh told MEE that there "are no substitutes for Unrwa", referring to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. "Unrwa is enough for us, but you tell me Americans or Saudis or any others [are responsible for distributing], they are all taking advantage of us. We are dying from hunger." He demanded that the corridors surrounding the Gaza Strip be opened and the siege on the enclave be put to an end. "You are not real men," he said of the neighbouring Arab countries, further condemning the recent US-Israeli initiative. Sedeideh stressed that he was supporting eight people, including his daughter, son-in law and his grandchildren. "They want to erase Unrwa, they don't want us to be considered refugees so they can displace us... I will not be expelled, I will die on my homeland," he said, further condemning US president Donald Trump's recent trip to the Middle East. Apart from the deaths and injuries, several people also went missing in the chaos, officials in Gaza said. A statement made by Gaza's Government Media Office described Israel's actions as a "full-scale massacre in the city of Rafah". "What happened today in Rafah is a true massacre and a full-fledged war crime, committed in cold blood against civilians exhausted by the ongoing siege and starvation that has lasted for more than 90 days since the crossings were closed, and nearly 20 months since the genocide and the complete cut-off of food and medicine to the Gaza Strip," the office said. "This is part of a clear plan for genocide and forced displacement, acknowledged by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and a number of his ministers."
