The Latest | US national security adviser says Israel stands behind cease-fire proposal

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday driven again towards assertions that Israel isn’t totally dedicated to the cease-fire proposal with Hamas that President Joe Biden defined in past due May on the White House.

“Israel has supplied this proposal. It has been sitting on the table for some time. Israel has not contradicted or walked that back,” Sullivan stated Thursday in Italy, the place Biden used to be set to wait the once a year Group of Seven leaders’ summit. “To this day they stand behind the proposal.”

“I don’t think that there is a contradiction in the Israeli position,” Sullivan added.

Sullivan reiterated that Hamas had answered through providing an amended proposal and he stated the objective is “to figure out how we work to bridge the remaining gaps and get to a deal.”

“The goal is to try to bring this to a conclusion as rapidly as possible,” he informed journalists.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that mediators are looking to shut the deal for an elusive cease-fire and hostage unencumber in Gaza. Hamas has requested numerous changes to a U.S.-backed proposal — a few of which Blinken stated had been “workable” and a few now not.

Hamas says its “amendments” intention to ensure an everlasting cease-fire and whole Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza. The cease-fire proposal introduced through Biden comprises the ones provisions, however Hamas has expressed wariness whether or not Israel will put in force the phrases.

Israel’s warfare towards Hamas in Gaza has killed greater than 37,100 folks, in step with Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between opponents and civilians in its rely. Palestinians are going through widespread hunger for the reason that warfare has in large part bring to an end the go with the flow of food, medicine and other supplies. U.N. businesses say over 1 million in Gaza may just enjoy the highest level of starvation through mid-July.

Israel introduced the warfare after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, wherein militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 folks — most commonly civilians — and kidnapped about 250.

Currently:

— What are the primary sticking issues within the cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas?

— Report through UN-backed experts cites crimes through Israeli forces and Palestinian militants beginning 0ct. 7.

— Hezbollah vows to intensify attacks against Israel after an airstrike kills a senior commander.

— Blinken says a few of Hamas’ proposed adjustments to a cease-fire plan in Gaza are workable and a few aren’t.

— Yemen’s Houthi rebels release boat-borne bomb assault towards Greek-owned send in Red Sea.

Follow AP’s protection of the warfare in Gaza at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Here’s the most recent:

US national security adviser says Israel stands behind cease-fire proposal

FASANO, Italy — U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday driven again towards assertions that Israel isn’t totally dedicated to the cease-fire proposal with Hamas that President Joe Biden defined in past due May on the White House.

“Israel has supplied this proposal. It has been sitting on the table for some time. Israel has not contradicted or walked that back,” Sullivan stated Thursday in Italy, the place Biden used to be set to wait the once a year Group of Seven leaders’ summit. “To this day they stand behind the proposal.”

“I don’t think that there is a contradiction in the Israeli position,” Sullivan added.

Sullivan reiterated that Hamas had answered through providing an amended proposal and he stated the objective is “to figure out how we work to bridge the remaining gaps and get to a deal.”

“The goal is to try to bring this to a conclusion as rapidly as possible,” he informed journalists.

Voices of displaced Palestinians in Gaza: jaded hopes for a cease-fire regardless of warfare’s bloody toll

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Weary after 8 months of warfare, pissed off Palestinians displaced from their houses in Gaza stated Wednesday they’re cautiously hoping for a cease-fire.

Some are extra skeptical than others, as earlier moments of optimism were dashed through variations between Israel and Hamas.

“We are psychologically tired,” said Etaf Abdel Bari, a displaced woman living in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. “They negotiated a lot, to no avail? We are not a toy in their hands. Our sons, daughters, and families killed without a reason. For what?”

More than 1 million people have fled Israel’s invasion of the southern Gaza city Rafah, scattering across southern and central Gaza into new tent camps or crowding into schools and homes.

“Every day there is a truce, there is no truce. We want a solution. We want to return to our homes,” said a displaced man, Salama Abu al-Qumbuz. “We are tired of this life, sleeping in the street, transporting water. Our lives have become very boring.”

The United Nations says over one million people in Gaza face desperate hunger and don’t have enough clean drinking water.

Other residents of Deir al-Balah took a more cynical view of the back-and-forth truce talks.

“I expect the war to continue. There are no negotiations,” said Abu Jamil al-Maqadma. “The negotiations are false.”

Blinken says some of Hamas’ proposed changes to a cease-fire plan in Gaza are workable and some not

DOHA, Qatar — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated Wednesday that mediators would stay looking to shut an elusive cease-fire deal after Hamas proposed numerous changes to a U.S.-backed plan, a few of which he stated had been “workable” and a few now not.

The back-and-forth laid bare frustration over the difficulty of reaching an accord that can bring an end to eight months of war that has decimated Gaza, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and left scores of Israeli hostages still languishing in militant captivity. Previous moments of optimism have been repeatedly dashed by the differences between the two sides.

The cease-fire proposal has global support but has not been fully embraced by Israel or Hamas. Blinken did not spell out what changes Hamas was seeking but he said the mediators — Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. — will keep trying to “close this deal.” He put the onus on Hamas, accusing it of changing its demands.

“Hamas has proposed numerous changes to the proposal that was on the table. … Some of the changes are workable. Some are not,” Blinken told reporters in Qatar. “I believe that they (the differences) are bridgeable, but that doesn’t mean they will be bridged because ultimately Hamas has to decide.”

The Palestinian militant group says the “amendments” aim to guarantee a permanent cease-fire and complete Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.

Those provisions are included in the proposal announced by U.S. President Joe Biden, but Hamas has expressed wariness whether Israel will implement the terms. And although the U.S. says Israel has accepted the proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given conflicting statements, saying Israel is still intent on its goal of destroying Hamas.

The proposal’s three-phase plan would begin with a six-week cease-fire and the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas and Palestinian civilians would be allowed to return to their homes. Aid distribution would also increase.

At the same time, negotiations would start over the second phase, which is to bring “a permanent end to hostilities” and “full withdrawal” of Israeli troops from Gaza in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages.

A big hitch for either side seems to be the negotiations for the second one section. Phase 3 would see the release of a reconstruction plan for Gaza and the go back of stays of deceased hostages.