World awaits Hamas response as isolated terrorists run out of options– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
Hamas has a matter of days to decide whether it will agree to President Donald Trump‘s latest effort to end the war in Gaza, a plan that has some support from several Arab nations that want to see the conflict end permanently.
Trump revealed the content of his 20-point peace plan on Monday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Trump said on Wednesday that his administration stands by his demand that Hamas respond to the peace plan in 3-4 days.
Pope Leo on Trump’s Gaza peace plan: ‘So far it seems to be a realistic proposal’– thehill.com Source Link Excerpt:
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday called President Trump’s Gaza peace plan “realistic” when talking to reporters.
“So far it seems a realistic proposal,” the pope said, according to Vatican News, also saying he wishes Hamas would go with the plan “within the established timeframe.”
“It’s important, nonetheless, that there be a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. But there are elements there that I think are very interesting, and I hope Hamas will accept it within the established time frame,” he added.
Trump would chair an international “board of peace” to govern and rebuild Gaza within a 20-point plan that the White House unveiled Monday, which describes an end to the Israel-Hamas war and a transition toward peace.
The president would oversee the framework and funding for Gaza’s rebuilding until the Palestinian Authority has reached conditions to gain governance in Gaza.
“This body will call on the best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment,” according to the plan.
Gaza peace plan agreed to by Trump, Netanyahu– www.chicagotribune.com Source Link Excerpt:
CAIRO — After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threw his support behind the U.S. peace plan for Gaza, the question now is whether Hamas will agree.
Hamas faces a bitter tradeoff — the proposal demands that the group effectively surrender in return for uncertain gains. But if it rejects the deal, the U.S. could give Israel an even freer hand to continue its punishing campaign in the already devastated territory.
Under the proposal, the group would have to disarm in return for an end to fighting, humanitarian aid for Palestinians, and the promise of reconstruction in Gaza — all desperately hoped for by its population.
But the proposal has only a vague promise that some day, perhaps, Palestinian statehood might be possible. For the foreseeable future, Gaza and its more than 2 million Palestinians would be put under international control. An international security force would move in, and a “Board of Peace” headed by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would oversee Gaza’s administration and reconstruction. The territory would remain surrounded by Israeli troops.
Trump and Netanyahu said they agreed on the plan Monday after talks at the White House.
The proposal includes one provision that Netanyahu and his hard-line government most strongly oppose: It says the Palestinian Authority will eventually govern Gaza. But Netanyahu is likely betting that will never come to pass. Israel also rejects any Palestinian state.
The White House issued the text on Monday of its 20-point proposal. Here is what to know.
The ceasefire
The plan calls for all hostilities to immediately end. Within 72 hours, Hamas would release all hostages it still holds, living or dead. The fighters still hold 48 hostages — 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive.
In return, Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in its prisons as well as 1,700 people detained from Gaza since the war began, including all women and children. Israel would also hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each body of a hostage handed over.
Troop withdrawal
The plan calls for an Israeli troop withdrawal. But it would only take place after Hamas disarms and as the international security force deploys to fill in areas that Israeli forces leave.
Israel would also maintain a “security perimeter presence” – a vague phrasing that could mean it would keep a buffer zone inside Gaza.
Those terms could bring pushback from Hamas, which has said it will not release all its hostages unless it receives a “clear declaration” the war will end and Israel will leave Gaza completely.
The fate of Hamas and postwar Gaza
Hamas would have no part in administering Gaza, and all its military infrastructure — including tunnels — would be dismantled. Members who pledge to live peacefully would be granted amnesty, and those who wish to leave Gaza would be allowed to.
The international security force would ensure Hamas’ disarmament and keep order. It would also train Palestinian police to take over law enforcement. Mediator Egypt has said it is training thousands of Palestinian police to deploy to Gaza.
Meanwhile, humanitarian aid would be allowed to flow into Gaza in large amounts and would be run by “neutral international bodies,” including the U.N. and the Red Crescent. It is unclear whether the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, a controversial alternative food distribution system backed by Israel and the U.S., would continue to operate.
The plan also specifies that Palestinians will not be expelled from Gaza, and that there will be an international effort to rebuild the territory for Palestinians.
In normal cases, that might not need spelling out. But Palestinians have feared mass expulsion after both Trump and the Israeli government spoke of pushing out Gaza’s population — ostensibly in a “voluntary” manner — and rebuilding the strip as a sort of international real estate venture.
The interim administration of Palestinian technocrats would run day-to-day affairs in Gaza. But it would be overseen by the “Board of Peace.” The board would also supervise funding of reconstruction, a role that could give it enormous power over governing Gaza since that is the biggest task facing the territory, almost completely destroyed by Israel’s campaign.
The Palestinian Authority and statehood
During this interim administration, the Palestinian Authority would undergo reforms so it can eventually take over governing Gaza.
The plan has only a slight nod to the issue of statehood. It says that if the Palestinian Authority reforms sufficiently and Gaza redevelopment advances, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The response so far
Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief shared the 20-point plan Monday evening with Hamas negotiators. The Hamas negotiators said they would review it in good faith and provide a response.
Hamas has so far rejected disarmament, saying it has a right to resist until Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands ends.
Arab countries appear to back the outline. The governments of Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement applauding Trump’s proposal.
Netanyahu could face resistance from within his own ultra-nationalist coalition allies.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is part of Netanyahu’s security Cabinet, published a list of his “red lines” on X on Monday. Top among them, he wrote, any deal must not allow involvement of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza or allow a Palestinian state. Smotrich is one of the more vocal members of the right-wing bloc of Netanyahu’s coalition who have previously threatened to leave the government if Netanyahu halts the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu may see a loophole. The proposal makes PA involvement in Gaza conditional on it completing internal reforms, which it pledged to do, saying it welcomed Trump’s plan to end the war.
But in his comments alongside Trump on Monday, Netanyahu expressed his belief it will never successfully do so.
Hamas ‘put in a corner’ with new ultimatum from Donald Trump– www.mirror.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Hamas officials were last night examining a 21 US peace ultimatum to lay down their arms – even as war raged across the Strip, killing at least 46 Palestinians.
Among Gaza’s latest dead were a mother and her six children who died in a missile strike on their apartment block in Deir al-Balah, in the centre of the enclave. More victims were injured in that attack and three people were killed in an Israeli strike on their tent in a coast-side camp complex of refugees in al-Mawsi.
Others died in large scale attacks across the Strip that intensified from dawn onwards on Tuesday morning. Just hours before the latest Israeli onslaught, at midnight on Monday Hamas was handed the written peace proposal which has emerged as an ultimatum. Earlier US President Donald Trump the militants have just “three of four days” to agree to the deal. If the document is agreed it will be the closest the Middle East has been to peace since war broke out with a bloody Hamas attack on southern Israel in 2023.
Trump says Hamas has ‘three or four days’ to respond to Gaza peace plan: Live updates– www.independent.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Hamas is inclined to accept a Gaza peace plan laid out by Donald Trump but only under certain conditions, officials close to Israel-Hamas negotiations in Qatar told Haaretz.
The group is currently consulting with other Palestinian factions to come to a unified position on the plan.
Hamas is expected to clarify that it is willing to accept the outline in the form that was presented to Arab leaders last week, before prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made changes to it, the outlet added.
Europe Rewards Terrorists with Palestinian State, who then IMMEDIATELY demand Trillions in “Reparations” – Freedomist Source Link Excerpt:
Mahmoud Abbas is now demanding $2 Trillion in reparations from Britain. This comes after most of Western Europe, including the UK, suddenly declared a recognition of the “Palestinian State” while under siege by Islamist revolutionaries their own governments paid to import.
France recognises state of Palestine, Macron tells UN; Abbas says Hamas must ‘surrender their weapons’ – Middle East crisis live | Palestinian territories– www.theguardian.com Source Link Excerpt:
Emmanuel Macron announces that France has formally recognized the Palestinian state.
“We must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” he says.
The time has come.
This is why, true to the historic commitment of my country to the Middle East, to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
This is why I declare that today, France recognises the state of Palestine.
Palestinians in West Bank fear recognition is not enough– www.bbc.com Source Link Excerpt:
In Ramallah – the de facto Palestinian capital of the occupied West Bank – many fear Western recognition of Palestinian statehood is too little, too late.
“I’m really glad that there are people who can see our suffering in Palestine and understand the problems we’re going through,” says Diaa, 23, who did not want to give his full name.
“But while recognition is important, what we really need are solutions.”
This city is home to government buildings, diplomatic missions, and a sprawling presidential palace.
But for many Palestinians, the dream remains that East Jerusalem – just a few miles south but largely cut off by Israel’s separation barrier – could become their capital under a two-state solution, which would create an independent Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, alongside Israel.
It is with that stated goal that the UK, France, Australia, Canada, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, Andorra, and Monaco announced formal recognition of the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in New York this week.
“Recognition is a positive after all this time,” says Kamal Daowd, 40, on a busy Ramallah street. “But without international pressure it will not be enough.”
“If recognition comes without giving us our rights,” he says. “Then it’s nothing more than ink on paper”.
US again vetoes UN Security Council Gaza ceasefire call– www.channelnewsasia.com Source Link Excerpt:
UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Thursday (Sep 18) again wielded its veto and thwarted a UN Security Council call for a ceasefire in Gaza, shielding its ally Israel from meaningful diplomatic pressure.
The vote came as Israeli tanks and jets pounded Gaza City, the target of a major new ground offensive, forcing Palestinians to flee south.
The resolution text seen by AFP had demanded “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties” as well as the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
The US has repeatedly rejected that approach multiple times, most recently in June when it used its veto to back Israel.
This was the sixth time the US had cast a veto in the Security Council over the nearly two-year war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.
“Let this resolution send a clear message, a message that the Security Council is not turning its back on starving civilians, on the hostages and the demand for a ceasefire,” Denmark’s UN ambassador Christina Lassen said ahead of the vote.
“A generation risks being lost not only to war – but to hunger and despair. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its military operation in Gaza City, further deepening the suffering of civilians as a result.
“It is this catastrophic situation, this humanitarian and human failure that has compelled us to act today.”
Store in Germany declares Jews banned to protest Israel actions in Gaza– www.foxnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
A German shop owner in the northern city of Flensburg posted a sign on Wednesday that Jews are banned from entering his store, sparking outrage among state officials in Schleswig-Holstein.
Hans-Velten Reisch, the 60-year-old owner of the store that sells Gothic-Utensils and technical literature, posted a sign that reads, “Jews are banned from entering here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.”
Germany’s largest daily newspaper, Bild, reported on Thursday that Reisch defended his anti-Jewish sign. He told the paper that “I watch the news every evening. And when I saw what the Jews were doing in the Gaza Strip, I lost my temper and printed out the poster.”
UK to push peace plan at UN summit after recognising Palestinian state – but Netanyahu says Palestine ‘will not happen’ | UK News– news.sky.com Source Link Excerpt:
The UK is set to push for a peace plan for the Middle East at the UN General Assembly after recognising the state of Palestine.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to use the summit to address civilian suffering in war-torn Gaza and aim to strengthen “the international consensus on our pathway for peace in the Middle East”.
She will hold bilateral meetings to advance elements of the peace plan, including security measures to ensure Hamas has no role in the future governance of Gaza, according to the Foreign Office.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who won’t attend the summit, announced on Sunday that the UK recognises Palestine as an independent state, to “revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution”.
Challenges the UN faces in pushing for a 2-state solution in Israel – National– globalnews.ca Source Link Excerpt:
France and Saudi Arabia hope to use this year’s gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and the increasingly horrific war in the Gaza Strip to inject new urgency into the quest for a two-state solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Those efforts include a new road map for eventual Palestinian statehood in territories Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war, and moves by several Western countries to join a global majority in recognizing such a state before it has been established.
But the efforts to push a two-state solution face major obstacles, beginning with vehement opposition from the United States and Israel. The U.S. has blocked Palestinian officials from even attending the General Assembly. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is opposed to Palestinian statehood, has threatened to take unilateral action in response — possibly including the annexation of parts of the West Bank.
China’s Gap Between Rhetoric and Action Perpetuates Status Quo in Gaza– chinadigitaltimes.net Source Link Excerpt:
On Monday, Reuters reported on the story of a man who tried to flee Gaza by crossing the border into Egypt and then flying to China in order to seek asylum, only to be denied and sent back. As his case illustrates, China’s well-known rhetorical support for Gaza has in many ways not translated into concrete action. In fact, China has appeared to soften its stance towards Israel over the past year. Its criticism over what a U.N. Commission of Inquiry described this week as genocide is directed more at the U.S. and other Western states that undergird Israel’s campaign, rather than at Israel itself. This selectivity serves to undermine the U.S.’ standing relative to China in the eyes of some other countries, while preserving China’s interests in Israel. However, Israel’s increasingly aggressive actions—including recently bombing Qatar’s capital—risk finally pushing Beijing to adopt a more confrontational stance backed by material consequences.
UK, Canada and Australia formally recognise Palestine, backing two-state solution– www.arabianbusiness.com Source Link Excerpt:
The UK, Canada and Australia have formally recognised the State of Palestine, moves framed by all three governments as essential to preserving the prospect of a two-state solution and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Stefanik urges Bondi to investigate MSF over alleged Hamas propaganda ties– www.foxnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., requested that Attorney General Pam Bondi undertake an investigation into Doctors Without Borders under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
In a copy of Stefanik’s letter reviewed by Fox News Digital, she accuses Doctors Without Borders, often known by its French acronym MSF, of having gone on a media offensive against U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, accusing the organization of “orchestrated killing.”
Stefanik claimed the attacks “mirror propaganda continuously pushed by Hamas and threaten to undermine the only large-scale humanitarian food operation currently working in Gaza.”
Together For Palestine: ‘How can we live with ourselves and stand by and do nothing?’– www.glamourmagazine.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
It was exactly 11 years ago that I first joined a protest in support of Palestine. In 2014, tens of thousands of ordinary people took to the streets of London to protest the Gaza War – a 50-day conflict during which 2,251 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians and 551 children, as well as 66 Israeli soldiers and five civilians, including one child, were killed (per the UN).
Where many might not remember the 2014 conflict, few can escape the current horror in Gaza. Since the Hamas attack on Israel, on October 7th 2023, the Israeli military response has killed nearly 65,000 Palestinians (per the Palestinian Ministry of Health), although real figures could be much higher. Many human rights organisations, charities and genocide scholars have described the situation as a genocide.
But while there were politicians such as Diane Abbott speaking out at that first rally I attended back in 2014, many celebrities stayed silent. Those who did show support, such as Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Selena Gomez and Rihanna, were lambasted or ordered to backtrack by industry peers. Speaking out against the injustices in Palestine has always come at a price, but finally, more and more artists are stepping away from silence.
Greece delays Israel arms deals due to Gaza – report– en.globes.co.il Source Link Excerpt:
The Greek government is interested in closing an extensive arms deal with the Israeli government, but the ongoing war in Gaza is causing delays on the part of Greece, the “eKathimerini” website reports, despite the strategic importance of the deals to Greece.
The deal includes Elbit Systems PULS rocket launch system, with the Greeks interested in a full range of munitions, including Accular 160 mm, EXTRA, and Predator Hawk missiles with 300-kilometer range, totaling around €700 million.
Gaza braces for Israel’s largest assault of the war — RT World News– www.rt.com Source Link Excerpt:
As Israeli troops push into the enclave’s heart, 600,000 civilians face an impossible choice: Flee into uncertainty or stay and risk annihilation
In the predawn hours of Tuesday, Israel pushed deeper into Gaza City, unleashing the most intense ground campaign since the war began nearly two years ago. For the 600,000 civilians still trapped in the enclave’s ruins, the offensive has turned daily survival into a grim gamble between death, displacement, and defiance.
What happened
Israel has launched a full-scale ground operation into Gaza City, marking a new and dangerous phase of a war that has already left more than 64,000 Palestinians dead since October 2023.
Two divisions of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the 162nd and the 98th, advanced deeper into the besieged enclave, with a third division expected to join in the coming days.
The offensive, officials say, is aimed at dismantling Hamas’ command and control, degrading its infrastructure in the heart of Gaza City – which houses up to 3,000 militants – and securing the release of hostages still held by the group.
The IDF says the operation emphasizes “security over speed” – a gradual entry accompanied by heavy fire support to protect advancing troops.
Sanders the first senator to say Israel committing genocide in Gaza– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) became the first senator to declare Israel’s conduct in its war in Gaza a genocide on Wednesday.
He began his essay saying Israel had a right to defend itself after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, but took the conflict to “an all-out war against the entire Palestinian people.”
“Many legal experts have now concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The International Association of Genocide Scholars concluded that ‘Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide,’” Sanders wrote.
“The Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel have reached the same conclusion, as have international groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch,” he added.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 65,000 Palestinians have died so far in the Israel-Hamas war.
“Just yesterday, an independent commission of experts appointed by the United Nations echoed this finding. These experts concluded that: ‘It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention,’” Sanders continued.
Cillian Murphy, Billie Eilish Among The Stars In Cringey Pro-Palestine Video– dailycaller.com Source Link Excerpt:
Cillian Murphy and Billie Eilish were among the big names that banded together to create an awkward pro-Palestine video promoting the “Together For Palestine” benefit concert.
Nothing says “solidarity” like a painfully staged celebrity PSA – and Joaquin Phoenix, Javier Bardem, Annie Mac, Peter Gabriel, and a few of their famous friends just proved it. The stars released a video ahead of the September 17 “Together For Palestine” concert, but the clip that was meant to inspire support left viewers squirming in secondhand embarrassment. With overly dramatic stares, slow pauses, and scripted lines delivered like high school theater, the video tried hard to be powerful but landed squarely in cringe territory.
Celebrities attempting activism struck serious tones, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza while urging fans to “stand in solidarity,” but the delivery came off more like a forced PSA than a heartfelt call to action. Critics have accused the group of using a humanitarian crisis as a stage for self-importance, pointing out that they came to the party far too late.
Social media users called out the stars for lending their voices to the pro-Palestine organization a full two years into Gaza’s crisis.
Instead of heartfelt, the campaign felt forced and oddly scripted, ultimately reminding viewers that not every global issue needs celebrity voices attached to it.
The Future Role of Clans in Gaza– warontherocks.com Source Link Excerpt:
In 2024, Yaniv Voller wrote “The Inevitable Role of Clans in Post-Conflict Stabilization in Gaza,” where he argued that clans will continue to be a popular and likely method of stabilizing Gaza after fighting ceases. In the wake of the Israel Defense Forces’ official launch of a ground offensive into Gaza City, we invited Yaniv back to reflect on his arguments.Image: RafahKid Kid via Wikimedia CommonsIn your 2024 article, “The Inevitable Role of Clans in Post-Conflict Stabilization in Gaza,” you wrote about the Israeli government’s consideration of using clans as proxies once the war concludes.
NYC Mayoral Candidate Cuomo Shifts on Gaza, Breaks From Pro-Israel Stance: ‘I Never Stood With Bibi’– gellerreport.com Source Link Excerpt:
The spinelessness is breathtaking. What a schmuck. Way to motivate New York City’s pro-Israel voters to vote for you, Andrew Cuomo. The gutless and spineless Andrew Cuomo is running one of the worst political campaigns in recent memory. Cuomo is very likely going to get trounced by the Jew-hating Communist Zohran Mamdani.
NYC mayoral candidate Cuomo shifts on Gaza, breaks from pro-Israel stance: ‘I never stood with Bibi’
Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, a longtime supporter of Israel who is running for New York City mayor, calls for an end to the “horrific” war in Gaza.
“There is no doubt that the people of New York and the nation see the continued carnage that is happening and are deeply, deeply disturbed and want it over, and believe it has gone on way too long,” Cuomo tells The New York Times.
Israel opens new temporary route out of Gaza City as death toll rises – National– globalnews.ca Source Link Excerpt:
The Israeli military said it was opening an additional route for 48 hours that Palestinians could use to leave Gaza City as it stepped up efforts on Wednesday to empty the city of civilians and confront thousands of Hamas combatants.
Hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering in the city and many are reluctant to follow Israel’s orders to move south because of the dangers along the way, dire conditions, a lack of food in the southern area and fear of permanent displacement.
“Even if we want to leave Gaza City, is there any guarantee we would be able to come back? Will the war ever end? That’s why I prefer to die here, in Sabra, my neighborhood,” Ahmed, a schoolteacher, said by phone.
At least 50 people were killed by Israeli strikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including 39 in Gaza City, local health authorities said.
