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Trump holds fresh talks with Netanyahu to end Gaza ‘tragedy’

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu met for the second time in 24 hours Tuesday as the US president intensified the pressure on the Israeli prime minister to reach a deal to end the “tragedy” of the war in Gaza.Netanyahu’s return to the White House for fresh talks came after Qatari mediators warned it would take time to seal an elusive ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas at talks in Doha.”It’s a tragedy, and he wants to get it solved, and I want to get it solved, and I think the other side wants to,” Trump told reporters as he announced that Netanyahu was coming back.Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said he hoped for an agreement within days.”We are hopeful that by end of this week we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire,” Witkoff said.The deal would include the return of 10 live hostages held by Palestinian militant groups since Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, and nine dead hostages, Witkoff added. The Israeli leader, who had dinner with Trump on Monday evening, arrived back at the White House for talks that were being held without any media access.Asked earlier as he met US House speaker Mike Johnson if a ceasefire announcement was imminent, Netanyahu replied: “We’re certainly working on it.”- ‘Need time’ -Trump has kept up strong US support for Israel, especially over the recent Iran-Israel war, but has also been stepping up the pressure to end what he calls the “hell” in Gaza.Qatar however said Tuesday more time was needed for negotiations for a breakthrough between Israel and Hamas, as indirect negotiations extended into a third day in Doha.”I don’t think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said.Qatar, a mediator along with the United States and Egypt, said the meetings in Doha were focused on a framework for the talks, while a Palestinian official close to the negotiations said no breakthrough had been achieved so far.Hostilities meanwhile continued on the ground.Gaza’s civil defence reported 29 killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday, including three children.Five Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza — one of the deadliest days this year for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory.Netanyahu described the soldiers’ deaths as a “difficult morning.” They were reportedly killed by improvised explosive devices near Beit Hanun in northern Gaza.And Lebanon said three people were killed Tuesday in a strike near Tripoli that the Israeli military said targeted a Hamas militant, the first in the area since a November ceasefire with Hezbollah.- ‘Torn to shreds’ -Trump has been trying to seize on the momentum from the recent ceasefire between Iran and Israel, which was precipitated by US airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear program.France’s foreign intelligence chief said Tuesday that the program has been “very, very delayed” by US and Israeli strikes, wading into a contentious debate over just how hard it was hit.Israel and Hamas began the latest round of negotiations on Sunday, with representatives seated in separate rooms within the same building.An Israeli official accompanying Netanyahu to Washington said the proposal under discussion was “80-90 percent of what Israel wanted.”But far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opposed negotiations with Hamas, saying that “there is no need to negotiate with those who murder our fighters; they must be torn to shreds.”The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s more than two million people.The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s October 7 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.Of 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,575 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable.burs-dk/jgc

3 dead in north Lebanon strike that Israel says hit Hamas militant

Lebanon said three people were killed Tuesday in a strike near Tripoli that the Israeli military said targeted a Hamas militant, the first on the north since a November ceasefire with Hezbollah.The strike came as Israel and Hamas held ceasefire talks in Qatar and after five Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in the Gaza Strip, one of the deadliest days for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory this year.Israel has kept up its strikes on Lebanon despite the November truce, mainly hitting what it says are Hezbollah targets but also occasionally targeting Hamas.The Israeli military said it “struck and eliminated the terrorist Mehran Mustafa Ba’jur” in an intelligence-led strike, calling him “one of Hamas’s key commanders in Lebanon”.It released six seconds of video footage of what appeared to be an air strike on a moving car. AFP cannot independently verify the footage.”During the war, he was responsible for rocket fire attacks towards (the northern Israeli cities of) Nahariya, Kiryat Shmona and additional cities across Israel,” a statement said.”His elimination significantly damages Hamas’s terror activity in Lebanon,” it added, promising to “operate against Hamas’s establishment in Lebanon, and… wherever they operate”.Lebanon’s health ministry said the strike on a vehicle “killed three people and wounded 13” in an area that is close to a Palestinian refugee camp.An AFP photographer saw a burnt out car surrounded by the emergency services and onlookers.Hamas claimed attacks on Israel from Lebanon during more than a year of cross-border hostilities launched by Hezbollah in October 2023 in support of its Palestinian ally.Israel has struck Hamas operatives in Lebanon, including since the ceasefire.In May, Hamas said one of its commanders was killed in a strike on the southern city of Sidon as Israel said it targeted “the head of operations in Hamas’s Western Brigade in Lebanon”.In October, Hamas said one of its operatives was killed along with his wife and two daughters in a strike on their home in Beddawi, a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. Israel’s military said it targeted “a senior member of Hamas’s military wing in Lebanon”.In May, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas visited Beirut for talks on disarming militants in refugee camps across Lebanon as the Beirut government seeks to impose its authority across all its territory.Israeli strikes on south Lebanon remain common, but raids on the north have been rare.A separate Israeli drone strike on a car near the southern village of Babliyeh on Tuesday killed one person, the health ministry said.The Israeli military said earlier that it had killed two Hezbollah operatives in strikes on south Lebanon on Monday.burs-lg/lk/kir/dcp

Trump to hold fresh talks with Netanyahu to end Gaza ‘tragedy’

US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would return to the White House for talks Tuesday in a bid to end the “tragedy” of the Gaza war, after Qatari mediators warned it would take time to seal a deal.The dramatic push came as Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said he hoped for an agreement on an elusive 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas by the end of the week.Trump said the second meeting in two days between the US and Israeli leaders — after he hosted Netanyahu at the White House on Monday — reflected that all sides wanted to reach an agreement.”It’s a tragedy, and he (Netanyahu) wants to get it solved, and I want to get it solved, and I think the other side wants to,” Trump told reporters at a cabinet meeting.Netanyahu, who was also meeting congressional leaders during his third trip to Washington since Trump returned to power, is due to meet Trump again at 4:30 pm (2030 GMT), the Israeli prime minister’s office said.Trump has strongly backed Netanyahu, especially over the recent Iran-Israel war, but has also been stepping up the pressure to end what he calls the “hell” in Gaza.Qatar however said Tuesday more time was needed for negotiations for a breakthrough between Israel and Hamas, as indirect negotiations extended into a third day in Doha.”I don’t think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said.- ‘Hopeful’ -Qatar, a mediator along with the United States and Egypt, said the meetings in Doha were focused on a framework for the talks, while a Palestinian official close to the negotiations said no breakthrough had been achieved so far.But Witkoff, who is set to join the talks in Doha this week, was upbeat.”We are hopeful that by end of this week we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire,” Witkoff said at Trump’s cabinet meeting.”Ten live hostages will be released. Nine deceased will be released.”On the ground, five Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza — one of the deadliest days this year for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory.Gaza’s civil defence meanwhile reported 29 killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday, including three children.Israel and Hamas began the latest round of negotiations on Sunday, with representatives seated in separate rooms within the same building.An Israeli official accompanying Netanyahu to Washington said the proposal under discussion was “80-90 percent of what Israel wanted.”But far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opposed negotiations with Hamas, saying that “there is no need to negotiate with those who murder our fighters; they must be torn to shreds.”- ‘Difficult morning’ -Netanyahu described the loss of five soldiers in Gaza as a “difficult morning.” They were reportedly killed by improvised explosive devices near Beit Hanun in northern Gaza.According to the Israeli military, 450 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza military campaign.The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s more than two million people.Netanyahu said as he met Trump on Monday that Israel and the United States were close to a deal with neighboring countries on taking in Palestinians in Gaza — though Arab countries have rejected such plans.Earlier this year Trump proposed taking over the Gaza Strip and displacing its people, though he has been quieter on the plan in recent months.”I think President Trump had a brilliant vision. It’s called free choice. If people want to stay (in Gaza), they can stay; but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said.The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.Of 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,575 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable.burs-dk/bjt

United Airlines to resume US service to Tel Aviv

United Airlines said Tuesday it would resume service between Tel Aviv and its Newark/New York hub on July 21, 10 days earlier than previously planned.The carrier joined a large group of international airlines that suspended service to Israel on June 13 as fighting between Israel and Iran closed off airspaces in the region. United subsequently said it would pause service with Tel Aviv through at least July 31.The restoration of service reflects the improved flying environment following a truce between the countries from late last month.”This resumption is in line with United’s longstanding commitment to serving Tel Aviv,” the airline said. “United service to Tel Aviv always follows a detailed assessment of operational considerations in the region and close consultation with the unions representing our flight attendants and pilots.”United had also said it would suspend daily service between Newark and Dubai. The company did not immediately reply to a query on the status of that service.American Airlines, which has not flown to Tel Aviv since October 2023, has “nothing new to share at this time regarding Tel Aviv service,” according to a spokesperson.”Customers who are planning travel to Israel can purchase tickets on aa.com on flights operated by our partner airlines that serve Tel Aviv,” the spokesperson said.American is part of the Oneworld Alliance, which includes British Airways and Qatar Airways, among others.Delta Air Lines, which also suspended service to Middle Eastern destinations, did not immediately respond to an AFP query.