President Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned Thursday the U.S. was chopping brief the newest spherical of Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating workforce dwelling from Qatar for consultations, after he mentioned Hamas had issued a response that “reveals a scarcity of want to achieve a ceasefire.”
The talks have been slowed down over conflicting calls for on phrases to finish the 21-month battle. Hamas says it can solely launch the entire hostages nonetheless held in Gaza in trade for a full Israeli withdrawal and an finish to the battle.
Israel says it is not going to agree to finish the battle till Hamas frees the hostages, offers up energy and disarms — a situation the U.S.- and Israeli-designated terrorist group rejects.
Trump envoy blames Hamas for breakdown of ceasefire talks
“Whereas the mediators have made an ideal effort, Hamas doesn’t seem like coordinated or performing in good religion,” Witkoff mentioned in an announcement. “We are going to now think about various choices to convey the hostages dwelling and attempt to create a extra secure surroundings for the individuals of Gaza.”
It was unclear what “various choices” the U.S. was contemplating. The White Home had no instant remark, and the State Division didn’t instantly reply to messages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled the Israeli negotiating workforce to Israel in gentle of Hamas’ response on Thursday morning. In a short assertion, the prime minister’s workplace expressed its appreciation for the efforts of Witkoff and mediators Qatar and Egypt, however gave no additional particulars.
In an announcement despatched to CBS Information on Thursday night, a Hamas official mentioned the group had “all the time behaved with excessive duty to conclude a complete, viable and sensible deal that may grant a everlasting ceasefire and put an finish to the struggling of our individuals, and I ponder how can somebody think about this as selfishness.”
The official mentioned he was “actually shocked” by the “out of context assertion by the U.S. envoy and the overarching angle that displays a preprepared, irresponsible and unfavorable response” by the U.S.
The official harassed that Hamas was “nonetheless concerned within the ceasefire talks” and anticipated the mediators and the worldwide neighborhood to “carry their duty” to alleviate the dire circumstances in Gaza.
Earlier Thursday, an Israeli official had informed The Related Press that Hamas’ newest response was “workable.”
One other official with information of the ceasefire talks informed The AP that Hamas had submitted a “constructive response” by Qatari mediators.
Israel launched its battle in Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist assault that killed some 1,200 Israelis and noticed 251 others taken hostage. A lot of the captives have been launched or rescued, however Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says 50 stay in Gaza, together with 20 nonetheless believed to be alive.
The battle has killed greater than 59,000 Palestinians, in keeping with Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Well being, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians, however says greater than half of the useless are ladies and kids.
“Youngsters within the Gaza Strip are ravenous to dying”
As Israel’s blockade and army offensive in Gaza grinds on, 4 main information organizations mentioned Thursday that their journalists within the Palestinian enclave have been going through the specter of hunger. The joint assertion by The Related Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters and the BBC known as on Israel to permit journalists out and in of Gaza and to permit sufficient meals provides into the territory.
The United Nations backed the decision by the media organizations for Israel to let sufficient meals provides into Gaza and permit journalists to enter and exit freely. U.N. employees in Gaza are hungry, too, deputy spokesman Farhan Haq mentioned Thursday.
Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty
Persons are ravenous “as a result of we’re simply not getting in,” Haq mentioned, reiterating that obstacles imposed by Israel have been inhibiting the supply of U.N. assist.
“If this doesn’t get higher quickly and extra assist goes by all the assorted checkpoints, individuals will die,” he mentioned. “We have been saying this for months, and now we’re on the level the place, in truth, individuals are dying.”
UNICEF, the U.N.’s Youngsters’s Fund, mentioned in an announcement on Thursday that 798 Palestinian civilians, together with youngsters, have been killed close to assist distribution websites in Gaza between Might 27 and July 7 whereas looking for meals.
Greater than 100 individuals have died in Gaza from malnutrition because the battle began, UNICEF mentioned, and 80% have been youngsters. The charity mentioned screening within the Palestinian enclave had discovered 6,000 youngsters in a state of acute malnourishment in June alone, marking a 180% enhance since February.
“Youngsters within the Gaza Strip are ravenous to dying. Extreme malnutrition is spreading amongst youngsters quicker than assist can attain them, and the world is watching it occur,” UNICEF Regional Director for the Mideast Edouard Beigbeder mentioned within the group’s assertion.
Jordan considers coordinating assist airdrops into Gaza
An Israeli safety official mentioned in an announcement Friday that the Coordination of Authorities Actions within the Territories, or COGAT — the Israeli army company in control of affairs within the Palestinian territories — and the Israel Protection Forces are collectively coordinating future airdrops of assist into Gaza which are anticipated to happen within the coming days.
In the meantime, two Jordanian officers informed CBS Information that Amman can also be contemplating assist airdrops over Gaza. Planning is within the preliminary phases, and Jordan is taking a look at encouraging different nations to additionally take part. Late Friday, an Emirati official informed CBS Information that the UAE is contemplating becoming a member of the airdrops over Gaza.
Two Jordanian officers informed CBS Information that the Jordanian Air Pressure is concerned in central coordination of the potential assist deliveries. Jordan has not but obtained official approval from Israel, however as quickly because it does, it could proceed.
A United Arab Emirates official additionally informed CBS Information that there’s a 7,000-ton assist ship en path to Gaza presently. The official mentioned the ship was already cleared by Israel.
A Saudi Arabian official informed CBS Information it has despatched tons of assist meant for Gaza, however that the help has been sitting undelivered for weeks. The difficulty, the official mentioned, is that the Israeli authorities has rejected practically the entire meals parcels.
Israel says it’s permitting sufficient assist into Gaza and it blames U.N. businesses for failing to distribute it. However these businesses say it is practically unimaginable to securely ship assist due to Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of regulation and order in Gaza, with crowds of 1000’s swarming round meals vehicles as quickly as they transfer into the territory.
UNICEF mentioned that from Might 19 to July 2, a median of 30 U.N. assist vehicles entered Gaza per day, in comparison with the typical of 500 vehicles per day that have been coming into earlier than the battle. The charity mentioned present meals provides in Gaza amounted to about 6% of the conventional, pre-war ranges.
Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty 
In better numbers than ever, youngsters hollowed up by starvation are overwhelming the Affected person’s Mates Hospital, the primary emergency heart for malnourished youngsters in northern Gaza.
Workers on the facility mentioned 5 younger youngsters who died final weekend of malnutrition marked a change: They have been the primary deaths seen on the heart in youngsters who had no preexisting circumstances. Signs are getting worse, with youngsters too weak to cry or transfer, mentioned Dr. Rana Soboh, a nutritionist. In previous months, most youngsters introduced in malnourished improved with therapy, regardless of provide shortages, however now sufferers keep longer and do not get higher, she mentioned.
The shortage of primary well being care and sanitation can also be enabling lethal illnesses to unfold in Gaza, the charity OXFAM warned on Friday.
“Water-borne illnesses which are each preventable and readily treatable have elevated by nearly 150% inside Gaza over the previous three months as Israel continues to intentionally block assist,” the group mentioned. “Obtainable multi-agency well being information reveals that the numbers of Palestinians presenting to well being amenities with acute watery diarrhea have elevated by 150 %, bloody diarrhea by 302 %, and acute jaundice instances by 101 %.”
OXFAM mentioned the figures have been doubtless “grossly under-reported as a result of a lot of the two million individuals trapped by Israel’s persevering with siege have little entry to the few healthcare amenities which have managed to maintain working.”
