International

Gaza: Thousands rally for hostage deal as ceasefire talks continue

Published

3 months ago

May 5, 2024

Gaza: Thousands rally for hostage deal as ceasefire talks continue

Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied late into the night calling for a deal to bring hostages home, ahead of further ceasefire talks.

Protesters in Tel Aviv chanted “war is not holy, life is”, with some accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of aiming to prolong the conflict.

It came as a Hamas delegation met mediators in Egypt on Saturday.

The group said there were no new developments, but added “a new round will begin” on Sunday.

Negotiators have resumed long-running negotiations in Cairo – brokered by Egypt and Qatar – on pausing Israel’s offensive in Gaza in return for freeing hostages.

The main sticking point appears to be whether the deal would be temporary or permanent.

It is thought the wording being discussed involves a 40-day pause in fighting while hostages are released, and the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails.

An adviser to the Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said the group was looking at the latest proposal with “full seriousness”.

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But he repeated a demand that any deal would have to explicitly include an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and complete end to the war.

An anonymous Israeli government official told local media on Saturday that Israel would “under no circumstances agree to end the war as part of an agreement to free our abductees”.

They added: “The IDF will enter Rafah and destroy the remaining Hamas battalions there – whether there is a temporary pause to free our captives or not.”

Mr Netanyahu has faced pressure from within his far-right coalition to press ahead with the long-promised offensive in Gaza’s southern-most city, where an estimated 1.4 million people have taken shelter after fleeing fighting in northern and central parts of the strip.

The US – Israel’s biggest diplomatic and military ally – is reluctant to back a new offensive that could cause significant civilian casualties, and has insisted on seeing a plan to protect displaced Palestinians first.

Saturday’s demonstrations in Israel were the latest display of the increased domestic pressure Mr Netanyahu is facing to secure the return of the hostages.

Of the 252 who were kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October, 128 are still unaccounted for – and among them, at least 34 are presumed dead.

Natalie Eldor, a protester in Tel Aviv, told Reuters news agency she was there to “support a deal now, yesterday”.

“We need to bring all the hostages back, the live ones, the dead ones. We got to bring them back. We got to switch this government,” she added.

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Some who gathered at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv accused the prime minister of undermining the proposed truce, while others called for an end to the war.

Addressing the prospects of a truce on Saturday, minister Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet, said: “An official response to the outline has not yet been received. When accepted – the war management cabinet will meet and discuss it.

“Until then, I suggest to the ‘political sources’ and all decision-makers to wait for official updates, to act calmly and not to get into hysteria for political reasons.”

Ceasefire talks have gone on for months without a breakthrough, and there has not been a pause in fighting or a release of hostages since the end of November.

There have been moments at which a new agreement has seemed imminent – only to fall through before being signed.

A source familiar with this latest round of discussions told the BBC that the negotiations were still complex, and any breakthrough could still take several days.

Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations’ World Food Programme has warned that northern Gaza is now experiencing a “full-blown famine”.

Cindy McCain warned the catastrophic situation in the territory was spreading south in an interview with US media.

“What we are asking for and what we’ve continually asked for is a ceasefire and the ability to have unfettered access to get in safe,” Ms McCain said.

The war began after waves of Hamas gunmen stormed across Gaza’s border into Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. The group is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by many Western countries.

During the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza, more than 34,600 Palestinians have been killed and over 77,900 wounded, according to figures from the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Gaza: Thousands rally for hostage deal as ceasefire talks continue

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International

Netanyahu, Biden hold talks over tense Gaza ceasefire

Published

13 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Trends Admin

President Joe Biden and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu, Biden hold talks over tense Gaza ceasefire

WASHINGTON DC: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he was ready to work with Joe Biden for the rest of his presidency, as the two leaders met for the first time at the White House for talks on a Gaza ceasefire.

“I want to thank you for the 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the state of Israel,” Netanyahu said after they shook hands in the historic setting of the Oval Office.

“And I look forward to discussing with you today and working with you in the months ahead.”

Biden stunned the world Sunday when he announced that he was bowing out of the US presidential election, with Vice President Kamala Harris now set to be the Democratic Party’s candidate.

Netanyahu will also meet Harris separately at the White House, in a reflection of the new political reality that will see Biden as a lame duck president for his remaining six months in office.

The Harris meeting comes amid speculation that if she wins in November it could herald a tougher approach on Israel’s war in Gaza.

Relations between Biden and Netanyahu are tense over Israel’s conduct in the war sparked by Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks, but the US president has continued strong military and political support.

They have met just three times during his presidency, once in September last year in New York, and then when Biden traveled to Israel after the attacks and hugged Netanyahu on the airport tarmac at Tel Aviv.

The meetings come after Netanyahu vowed “total victory” against Hamas in a fiery speech Wednesday to the US Congress.

Biden and Netanyahu will later meet the families of US hostages held in Gaza.

The White House was surrounded by metal barriers and a heavy police presence, after rowdy protests broke out near the Capitol following Netanyahu’s speech.

Harris on Thursday condemned the “despicable” and “unpatriotic” burning of an American flag by protesters, after attempts by Donald Trump’s Republicans to paint Democrats as pro-Hamas.

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In a primetime speech explaining his decision on Sunday to bow out of the US presidential election, Biden made clear that resolving the conflict would remain a top priority.

“I’m going to keep working to end the war on Gaza, bring home all the hostages to bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war,” the US president said.

A senior US administration official said Wednesday that negotiations on a Gaza deal were in the “closing stages” and that Biden would try to close some “final gaps” with Netanyahu.

Harris has previously been more outspoken about Israel’s conduct of the war, prompting speculation she will shift her policy as presidential nominee.

The US official said there was “no daylight between the president and vice president,” who will meet Netanyahu at 4:30 p.m. (2030 GMT).

Netanyahu will meet Republican contender Donald Trump on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

The ex-president on Thursday morning urged Israel to quickly “finish up” its war in Gaza, warning its global image was being tarnished.

Biden has offered Israel steadfast support since October 7.

But the US president has been increasingly critical of Israel over the Palestinian death toll in its offensive in Gaza, and criticized restrictions on the amount of aid getting through to the territory, much of which has been reduced to rubble.

The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Out of 251 people taken hostage that day, 111 are still being held inside the Gaza Strip, including 39 who the military says are dead.

More than 39,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip since the war began, according to data provided by the health ministry of Hamas-run Gaza, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.

According to the Israeli military 327 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza military campaign since the start of the ground offensive on October 27.

Netanyahu, Biden hold talks over tense Gaza ceasefire

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International

It’s time to end war in Gaza, US VP Harris tells Netanyahu

Published

13 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Trends Admin

US Vice-President Kamala Harris

It’s time to end war in Gaza, US VP Harris tells Netanyahu

US Vice-President Kamala Harris – who’s expected to be the Democratic nominee for November’s presidential election – has held what she called “frank and constructive” talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden, Ms Harris said she made clear her “serious concerns” about casualties in Gaza, telling Mr Netanyahu how Israel defended itself mattered.

“It is time for this war to end,” she said after their face-to-face talks at the White House.

Ms Harris also stressed the need for a path to a two-state solution, while calling on Americans to be aware of “nuance” on the conflict.

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Netanyahu met Mr Biden, who stepped down from his re-election campaign on Sunday.

Mr Netanyahu’s meetings at the White House came a day after he gave a fiery speech to Congress, vowing “total victory” against Hamas, as thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside.

The prime minister faces pressure both at home and abroad to bring an end to the Israel-Gaza war, now in its ninth month.

Mr Biden’s staunch support of Israel has infuriated many left-wing activists, whose support the Democrats may need if they are to win November’s presidential election.

Given that, there is also considerable interest in the position Ms Harris might take towards Israel should she replace Mr Biden in the White House.

After meeting Mr Netanyahu for about 40 minutes, Ms Harris said she had an “unwavering commitment” to Israel and its right to defend itself.

She noted the conflict began on 7 October when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel from Gaza, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 captives, according to Israeli tallies.

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Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 39,000 people.

“Israel has a right to defend itself. And how it does so matters,” Ms Harris said, expressing concern about the “dire humanitarian situation” in Gaza.

“We cannot allow ourselves to be numb to the suffering and I will not be silent,” she said.

“Let’s get the deal done so we can get a ceasefire to end the war,” she added. “Let’s bring the hostages home, and let’s bring much-needed relief to the Palestinian people.”

Mr Netanyahu is due to meet Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday.

As he met Mr Biden earlier, the prime minister said he had known him for 40 years – and that the US president had known every Israeli premier over the last half a century.

“From a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish-American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the state of Israel,” he said.

Mr Netanyahu also said he looked forward to working with Mr Biden “on the great issues before us” over the next several months.

The US president joked that Golda Meir was the first Israeli prime minister that he had met, and that Yitzhak Rabin, a successor, was there as an assistant.

At a news briefing, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu had discussed the urgent need for a hostage release deal, the potential of conflict spilling over into Lebanon, the threat of Iran and the need to reach “compromises” in peace talks.

While Mr Kirby added that “gaps remain” in the US-Israel relationship, it was still “healthy”.

“By healthy, I mean they’re not going to agree on everything,” Mr Kirby said, adding that Mr Biden was “very comfortable with the relationship he has with the prime minister”.

The US and Israeli leaders also held a closed-door meeting with the families of seven US citizens still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

Following the meeting, Jonathan Dekel-Chen – whose son Sagui was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October – told reporters that the meeting was “productive and honest”. He did not provide further details.

“We feel probably more optimistic than we have since the first round of releases in late November, early December,” he said.

It’s time to end war in Gaza, US VP Harris tells Netanyahu

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International

Nigerian who stabbed army officer in UK lands in court

Published

14 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Trends Admin

Nigerian who stabbed army officer in UK lands in court

A Nigerian has been charged after an army officer was stabbed near a barracks in Gillingham in Kent.

Anthony Esan, 24, was arrested after the attack on Lieutenant Colonel Mark Teeton at around 5.55pm on Tuesday which took place in Sally Port Gardens, near Brompton Barracks, headquarters of the 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment.

He has been charged with attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. Esan was pictured arriving at Medway Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

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Police said a man was reported to have left the scene on a motorcycle after the stabbing. The arrest took place on Mooring Road in Rochester at around 6.30pm.

Kent Police said the victim – in his 40s – is in a serious but stable condition after being airlifted to hospital.