Hamas says it's ready for a ceasefire but wants a complete end to the war in Gaza

Hamas says it's ready for a ceasefire but wants a complete end to the war in Gaza

CAIRO (AP) — Hamas suggested Wednesday that it was open to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but stopped short of accepting a U.S.-backed proposal announced by U.S. PresidentDonald Trumphours earlier, insisting on its longstanding position that any deal bring an end tothe war in Gaza. Trump said Tuesdaythat Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. The U.S. leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire, and hostage agreement and bring about an end to the war. Trump said the 60-day period would be used to work toward ending the war — something Israel says it won't accept until Hamas is defeated. He said that a deal might come together as soon as next week. But Hamas' response, which emphasized its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialize into an actual pause in fighting. Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said that the militant group was "ready and serious regarding reaching an agreement." He said Hamas was "ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war." A Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, because he wasn't authorized to discuss the talks with the media. Israel and Hamas disagree on how war should end Throughout the nearly 21-month-long war, ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly faltered over whether the war should end as part of any deal. Hamas has said that it's willing to free the remaining 50 hostages, less then half of whom are said to be alive, in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Israel says it will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and exiles itself, something the group refuses to do. An Israeli official said that the latest proposal calls for a 60-day deal that would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory. The mediators and the U.S. would provide assurances about talks on an end to the war, but Israel isn't committing to that as part of the latest proposal, the official said. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the details of the proposed deal with the media, so spoke on condition of anonymity. It wasn't clear how many hostages would be freed as part of the agreement, but previous proposals have called for the release of about 10. Israel has yet to publicly comment on Trump's announcement. On Monday, Trump is set to host Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahufor talks at the White House, days after Ron Dermer, a senior Netanyahu adviser, held discussions with top U.S. officials about Gaza, Iran and other matters. Trump issues another warning On Tuesday, Trump wrote on social media that Israel had "agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War." "I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE," he said. Trump's warning may find a skeptical audience with Hamas. Even before the expiration of the war's longest ceasefire in March, Trump has repeatedly issued dramatic ultimatums to pressure Hamas to agree to longer pauses in the fighting that would see the release of more hostages and a return of more aid to Gaza's civilian populace. Still, Trump views the current moment as a potential turning point in the brutal conflict that has leftmore than 56,000 deadin the Palestinian territory. The Gaza Health Ministry doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count, but says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. More than 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. And the war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pushing hundreds of thousands of people toward hunger. ___ Bassem Mroue reported from Beirut. Josef Federman contributed to this report from Jerusalem. ___ Follow the AP's war coverage athttps://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

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July 02, 2025

Hamas says it's ready for a ceasefire but wants a complete end to the war in Gaza

Hamas says it's ready for a ceasefire but wants a complete end to the war in Gaza CAIRO (AP) — Hamas suggested Wednesday that it was ope...

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Wildfire kills 2 people in Spain amid European heat wave

Wildfire kills 2 people in Spain amid European heat wave

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Two people died in northeastern Spain in a wildfire that spread quickly before firefighters brought it under control, authorities said Wednesday. Catalan regional president Salvador Illa announced the deaths that occurred late Tuesday in a social media post around midnight. The fire came amid aEuropean heat wavethat has sent thermometers soaring across large areas of the continent and set record high temperatures for June in Spain and Portugal. The blaze broke out in the rural province of Lleida, sending a huge pillar of smoke over the rural countryside that it rapidly consumed. Authorities issued warnings to residents via messages to smart phones and ordered 14,000 people to stay indoors, firefighters said. That order was lifted late on Tuesday. A total of 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) was burned before firefighters established a perimeter and declared the blaze under control.

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July 02, 2025

Wildfire kills 2 people in Spain amid European heat wave

Wildfire kills 2 people in Spain amid European heat wave BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Two people died in northeastern Spain in a wildfire that sp...

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Stadium where Babe Ruth played in Tokyo is at the center a disputed park redevelopment plan

Stadium where Babe Ruth played in Tokyo is at the center a disputed park redevelopment plan

TOKYO (AP) — Plans to demolish a historic baseball stadium where Babe Ruth played and an adjacent rugby venue are at the heart of a disputed park redevelopment in Tokyo that critics say trades history and greenery for commercial space. The plan to remake the Jingu Gaien park area was approved 2 1/2 years ago by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Work clearing land has begun but opponents are still trying to stop the project, which could take a decade to complete. A coalition on Wednesday presented an open letter to Toshiko Abe, the minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, asking the project be reassessed. It's signed by 368 experts — urban planners, architects and environmental scientists — and 1,167 others. Ode to an emperor The park area was established a century ago through public donations to honor the Meiji Emperor. At the heart of the issue is citizens' control of public space, and a potential conflict of interest with private developers and politicians deciding how valuable parcels are used. The stadium oozes history and critics saybuilding skyscrapersin the park space would never be allowed in Central Park in New York or Hyde Park in London. Ruth and Lou Gehrig played at the stadium on a 1934 barnstorming tour. Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami was inspired to write his first novel while drinking beer and watching a game there in 1978. The stadium is still home to the Yakult Swallows baseball team and hosted a concert this week. Lofty plans in place Plans call for developers to build a pair of 200-meter (650-feet) towers and a smaller tower. The stadiums are to be rebuilt in the reconfigured space with the baseball stadium going where the rugby stadium now stands. The open letter is critical of so-called private finance schemes that give private developers access to park space. Hibiya Park is Tokyo's oldest public park, another example of this approach. Opposition to the Jingu redevelopment hasincluded novelist Murakami, a conservancy group, and botanists and environmentalists who argue the sprawling project threatens100-year-old gingko treesthat grace the area's main avenue. Aglobal conservancy bodyICOMOS, which works with the United Nations body UNESCO, has said the development will lead to "irreversible destruction of cultural heritage" with trees and green space being lost. Strong lobby for the development Opposition groups are pitted against powerful real-estate developer Mitsui Fudosan, the Shinto religious body, and Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. "The problem is that many Japanese citizens are not so much interested in democratically regulating their own city and are used to demolishing buildings," Kohei Saito, a Japanese political economist at Tokyo University, wrote to The Associated Press. He said "companies with political power try to maximize their short-term profits without consideration of Tokyo's attractiveness (history, culture), inhabitants' well-being and future generations." Zoning changes to allow high-rise buildings in the area were made around 2013 by the Tokyo government when the city won the bid for the 2020 Olympics. Many of those changes permitted building the neighboring National Stadium but also applied to the park area. "The process of rezoning the area lacked transparency and democratic procedure and constitutes an illegal abuse of the governor's discretion in urban planning decisions," the open letter said. The Jingu district was considered "common property" until after World War II when the government sold it to Shinto under a promise it would remain a common space. The national government comes into play because therugby venueis the property of the Japan Sport Council, a national government affiliated body. The rugby venue represents about 30% of the Jingu Gaien area. Forthcoming election might help Opponents hope the timing later this month of a national election might aid their cause with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba heading a minority government. Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has ties to the rugby venue. In addition to serving two decades ago as prime minister, he is the former president of the Japan Rugby Football Union and also served as the president of the 2020 Olympic organizing committee until he wasforced to resignafter making sexist comments about women. Opened in 1926, developers argue the baseball stadium is too old to save. However, Fenway Park in Boston dates from 1912 and Wrigley Field in Chicago from 1914. Both have been refurbished and are among the most venerated in the United States. Meiji Kinenkan, a historic reception hall in Jingu Gaien, dates from 1881 and is still widely used with no calls for its demolition. Mitsui Fudosan's headquarters building in Tokyo dates from 1929. Koshien Stadium, located near Osaka, was built in 1924 and has been in use since a refurbishment. The new rugby stadium would be an indoor venue with plastic grass, which players view as the least desirable surface for the sport. ___ AP sports:https://apnews.com/sports

byAlpha World

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July 02, 2025

Stadium where Babe Ruth played in Tokyo is at the center a disputed park redevelopment plan

Stadium where Babe Ruth played in Tokyo is at the center a disputed park redevelopment plan TOKYO (AP) — Plans to demolish a historic baseba...

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Two more men's top-10 seeds crash out at Wimbledon; Sinner sails

Two more men's top-10 seeds crash out at Wimbledon; Sinner sails

No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev and No. 7 Lorenzo Musetti became the latest top seeds to lose in the first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday in London. Zverev and Musetti joined Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev, also seeded in the top 10, who were eliminated in the first round on another hot day on Monday. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy sailed through to the next round, and No. 6 Novak Djokovic of Serbia recovered from a dropped set to move on. Germany's Zverev, who is still seeking his first Grand Slam championship, was eliminated by France's Arthur Rinderknech, who crumpled to the grass court after the exhausting 7-6 (3), 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4 win that lasted four hours, 40 minutes. The match featured 56 aces -- 31 for Zverev -- along with 363 total points with just seven points (185 for Rinderknech, 178 for Zverev) separating the two players in the marathon. Zverev, a finalist at the Australian Open this year, has never advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon. Musetti, a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2024, lost to qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. For Basilashvili, it was his first win over a top-10 player in a major and came on a day with temperatures expected to exceed 91 degrees. Basilashvili hit 15 aces among his 48 winners in the two-hour, 25-minute triumph. Musetti, who led the ATP Tour in wins on grass courts in 2024, missed the grass tuneup season after suffering a left adductor injury in his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal of the French Open. "I was struggling to feel comfortable on the court from the beginning," Musetti said. "Going and going with the match, I was really losing focus and was not reactive on the ball when I was coming out from the serve. Even in the lateral movements, which normally I know how to move, today seems like I never played on this surface. A really bad performance I would say." The loss was Musetti's third in his career in the first round at Wimbledon. Sinner had no trouble with Luca Nardi, beating his fellow Italian 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 in one hour, 48 minutes. He did not face a break point and had 28 winners and 17 unforced errors compared to 19 and 33, respectively, for Nardi. "I'm very happy to come back here. It's such a special place for me," Sinner said in his on-court interview. "Playing against an Italian is for us very unfortunate, but one has to go through, so I'm happy that it is me. The atmosphere as always is amazing. I know it's very hot, very humid. I don't remember the last time it was this weather in London." Sinner, a three-time major winner, is looking for his first Wimbledon title. Djokovic, a seven-time champion at Wimbledon, squandered a 5-2 lead in a second-set tiebreaker against Frenchman Alexandre Muller but rebounded for a 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-2 victory. No. 4 seed Jack Draper of Great Britain moved on when Argentine opponent Sebastian Baez -- down 6-2, 6-2, 2-1 -- retired from the match. No. 5 seed Taylor Fritz completed Monday's suspended match, coming from two sets down to defeat France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-7 (6), 6-7 (8), 6-4, 7-6 (6), 6-4. No. 10 Ben Shelton also avoided the upset bug, defeating Australia's Alex Bolt 6-4, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4). No. 11 seed Alex de Minaur of Australia and No. 13 Tommy Paul of the United States also advanced with straight-set wins over Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain and Johannus Monday of Great Britain, respectively. Paul and de Minaur both reached the quarterfinals in 2024. Czech Jakub Mensik, the No. 15 seed, joined fellow seeds Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria (No. 19), Czech Tomas Machac (No. 21) and Flavio Cobolli of Italy (No. 22) in advancing to the second round. In an all-French thriller, Gael Monfils rallied past No. 18 Ugo Humbert 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-2. Another five-setter between qualifiers saw Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki charge past Italy's Giulio Zeppieri 2-6, 3-6, 6-3 7-6 (6), 7-5. Hungarian lucky loser Marton Fucsovics hit 18 aces in an upset of Aleksandar Kovacevic, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. Argentina's Mariano Navone defeated Denis Shapovalov of Canada, the No. 27 seed, in four sets. Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia ousted American Alex Michelsen, the No. 30 seed, after winning a fifth-set tiebreaker. Other winners Thursday were Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, Hungary's Fabian Marozsan, Sebastian Ofner of Austria, Arthur Cazaux of France, Pedro Martinez of Spain and Australia's Aleksandar Vukic. Also victorious were Jaume Munar of Spain, Daniel Evans and Jack Pinnington Jones of Great Britain, Botic van de Zandschulp and Jesper De Jong of the Netherlands, August Holmgren of Denmark, Corentin Moutet of France, Croatia's Marin Cilic, Rinky Hijikata of Australia and Americans Reilly Opelka and Marcos Giron. --Field Level Media

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July 02, 2025

Two more men's top-10 seeds crash out at Wimbledon; Sinner sails

Two more men's top-10 seeds crash out at Wimbledon; Sinner sails No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev and No. 7 Lorenzo Musetti became the latest...

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What to Know About Trump’s Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

What to Know About Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

The sun sets behind destroyed buildings in Gaza on July 1, 2025. Credit - Jack Guez—AFP/Getty Images Israel is open to accepting a 60-day ceasefire, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, urging Hamas to sign the deal that he said would pave the way for a potential "end" to the war in Gaza. Trump's announcement comes as he expects a visit from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House next week. Last week, the Presidentupped the pressureon Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement that would end the war in Gaza and release the remaining Israeli hostages. It's also come a day after one of thedeadliest days in Gaza, as Israeli attacks killed more than 70 people. More than 56,000 Palestinians and more than 1,700 Israelis have been killed over the course of the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Trump's shift infocus towards Gazafollows thetenuous ceasefirebrokeredbetween Israel and Iranin June after the U.S. joined Israel inbombing Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump may be hoping that, with a weakened Iran—one of Hamas' key allies in the region—Hamas may be pressured to accept the conditions of this ceasefire agreement. "My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War," Trumppostedon Truth Social on Tuesday evening. "I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE." Since thestart of its war with Iranin June, Israel alsointensified its campaignin Gaza.More than 100 people have been killedin Israeli attacks this week, which included astrike on a seaside cafethat killed a Palestinian photojournalist among others,strikes on a schoolthat was sheltering displaced Palestinians, andsoldiers firing on civilians seeking aidat thecontroversialU.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Trump said that mediators Egypt and Qatar will deliver the final ceasefire proposal. The terms have not yet been publicly released, thoughreportssay it would involve Hamas releasing 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 deceased ones during the 60-day ceasefire period. There are an estimated 50 hostages still in Gaza, of whom Israel believes around half are dead. The remaining hostages would be released upon the agreement of a permanent ceasefire. Earlier Tuesday, Trump said Netanyahu "wants to" reach a ceasefire deal and teased that one would likely come next week. Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer met with Trump officials, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Tuesday, and a senior Israeli officialtoldAxios that Dermer is prepared to begin indirect talks with Hamas concerning the deal. Trumprantedover the weekend about corruption proceedings against Netanyahu in Israel, calling it "a Witch Hunt," and Netanyahu's hearings this week were postponed on the basis of classified diplomatic and security reasons. Read More:Trump Tries to 'Save' Netanyahu as Israeli PM Faces Challenges at Home Talks between Israel and Hamas have been stymied by disagreement over whether a ceasefire should include an end to the war. Hamas says a ceasefire must include the end of the war and a full withdrawal of Israel's military from the Gaza Strip, which Israel has refused. Israel says it will only end its war in exchange for the dismantling and exile of Hamas, which Hamas has refused. An offer had already been on the table. Hamas hadreportedly offeredto release all hostages in exchange for a full withdrawal of Israel's military from Gaza and an end to the war. On Sunday, Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawireportedly saidNetanyahu insisted on a temporary agreement that releases only 10 hostages. Mardawi accused Netanyahu of setting "impossible conditions aimed at thwarting the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement and a deal on the hostages." Previous ceasefire proposals have only been agreed to by one side or have proved short-lived. In November 2023, six weeks after the outbreak of war, Israel and Hamasbegan an initial four-day ceasefire. Hamas returned 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons. Israel said it would extend the truce for the release of 10 more captives per day, but Netanyahu said he did not want a permanent ceasefire until Israel achieved his aim of dismantling Hamas. Theceasefire collapsed a week laterin December 2023 after 110 hostages and 240 Palestinians were exchanged. Talks to extend the truce further failed as Israel refused Hamas' demand for all of theroughly 10,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 400 children, to be freed, and as Hamasrefused to releasecaptive women soldiers as part of its agreement to release all women and children held in Gaza. Also that month, the U.S.vetoed a United Nations Security Council proposalto stop the war, claiming that Hamas refused to accept a two-state solution, although Hamas' 2017 charterofficially acceptsone. Hamas at the time wasreviewing a three-stage ceasefire proposalby Arab, Israeli, and U.S. negotiators that involved the release of Israeli captives, opening up of aid, and return of dead Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahuultimately rejectedthe proposal after Hamas asked for Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the release of at least 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, and a four-and-a-half-month ceasefire in exchange for releasing all Israeli hostages. In March 2024, the UNSCpassed a ceasefire proposalwith 14 out of 15 members voting in favor. The U.S. abstained, after earlier in Februaryvetoing another ceasefire resolutionon the basis that it would impact talks between the U.S., Egypt, Israel, and Qatar. Later, the U.S. said the UNSC resolution was "non-binding." In May 2024, Hamas agreed to a three-stage ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar that involved releasing all Israeli hostages in exchange for some number of Palestinian prisoners, increasing aid into Gaza, the gradual withdrawal of Israel from Gaza, and lifting Israel's siege on Gaza since 2007. Israel, however,rejected the proposal, insteadlaunching a new military offensivein the city of Rafah. Then-President Joe Biden alsolaid out a three-phase proposalat the end of May 2024 that would include the release of Israeli hostages and a "full and complete ceasefire." But shortly after Biden announced the proposal, Netanyahu saidIsrael would not end the war"until all of its goals are achieved," including "the elimination of Hamas' military and governmental capabilities." Netanyahu said in June that hewould only accept a "partial" dealthat returns Israeli hostages in return for pausing—but not ending—the war. In August, Netanyahureportedly supportedtheterms of a so-called "bridging" proposalmeant to meet in the middle of both sides' demands after talks in Doha negotiated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar. Hamas, however, rejected the plan, saying its terms, which were not officially made public, includedconditions that it could not agree to, such as Israel's refusal of a full ceasefire and military withdrawal from Gaza. Instead, Hamas called for Netanyahu to sign Biden's earlier proposal. On Jan. 19, 2025, Israel and Hamasbegan a three-phase ceasefireafterdelayed talksandIsraeli military escalation. But after the first phase had been achieved, theceasefire collapsed in Marchwhen Israel launched fresh airstrikes on Gaza before declaring that it was resuming the war. It's unclear whether Trump's proposal, which Hamas has not yet agreed to, will take hold or prove more lasting than prior efforts. But domestic and international pressure has mounted on the U.S., Israel, and Hamas to bring the war in Gaza to an end as it drags into its 21st month. Over the weekend, protesters in Israel called for a deal that would free the remaining hostages in Gaza. "There's a deal on the table,"saidEinav Zangauker, the mother of one of the hostages, at the rally. "What prevents it is Netanyahu's refusal to end the war." Trump allies have suggested it is entirely on Hamas now. "Take the deal, or face the consequences," former White House physician Rep. Ronny Jackson (R, Texas)postedon X. Whether those consequences could include U.S. involvement, as wasthe case with Iran, are unclear. Trump has on multiple occasionsduring his campaignandat the start of his second-term presidencyvowed that the militant group will have "hell to pay" if it does not release all the hostages. Hamas is generally positive about the proposal, but has conditions, Hamas sources told London-based news outlet Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. Those conditions include a demand to make it more difficult for Israel to resume the war if a permanent ceasefire is not achieved by the end of the 60 days such as through the gradual release of the 10 hostages, a source involved in the negotiationstoldtheTimes of Israel. Still, while Trump has asserted that Israel is on board with a ceasefire proposal, observers suggest that may indicate the terms are unlikely to be acceptable to Hamas. "If Netanyahu has agreed to another interim deal, it's almost certainly with language that doesn't commit him to end war," Middle East analyst and former U.S. diplomat Aaron David Millerpostedon X. "The main holdup today is exactly the same as it was last year: Israel's unwillingness to permanently end the war and Hamas's refusal to accept anything less,"addedforeign policy analyst and writer Daniel DePetris. "Unless Trump has found a way to crack those two irreconcilable positions, this is all theater." Contact usatletters@time.com.

byAlpha World

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July 01, 2025

What to Know About Trump’s Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

What to Know About Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Proposal The sun sets behind destroyed buildings in Gaza on July 1, 2025. Credit - Jack Guez—A...

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