Donald Trump is urging Israel and Hamas to finalize a Gaza ceasefire deal, following a fragile Israel-Iran truce. Negotiations are underway, but Israel continues military operations, ordering mass evacuations in northern Gaza, while Netanyahu faces a corruption trial.
Andy Burnham apologises for Labour's slow response on Gaza ceasefire. He calls for more pressure on Israel, including a ban on trade with illegal settlements, and notes evidence of war crimes.
Ceasefire talks in Egypt between Palestinian factions and mediators are facing a critical test due to maximalist demands for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all armed groups in Gaza, including the surrender of tunnel maps and privately held weapons. Palestinian officials view these demands, particularly "Clause 8" of a US-brokered plan, as facilitating Israel's agenda, while Hamas has tied weapon handover to Israeli withdrawal.
Eight months into a Gaza ceasefire that remains fragile, fighting and destruction intensified as Israeli forces expanded berms and demolished homes, pushing casualties over 970 in Gaza. Palestinian factions gathered in Cairo to push the second phase of the ceasefire, while West Bank settler violence and land seizures continued. Crossings were sealed and then tentatively reopened, aid funding dwindled, and civilians bore the brunt of the violence and displacements.
US President Trump's pressure on Netanyahu secured a ceasefire, aiding Lebanon-Israel negotiations and US-Iran talks. UN Sec-Gen Guterres proposed a new UN force for Lebanon post-UNIFIL. Meanwhile, Hamas seeks a Gaza ceasefire deal amid stalled talks with Israel.
Seven months after a ceasefire, rights groups and UN officials state Israel is using the agreement as a cover for continued military operations and "war crimes" in Gaza, deliberately engineering a humanitarian disaster. Analysts suggest Prime Minister Netanyahu is stalling peace to appease his base ahead of elections.
Nickolay Mladenov, "high representative for Gaza," blamed Hamas for stalled ceasefire talks, citing refusal to disarm. Critics argue the US-backed Board of Peace's report is one-sided, ignoring Israeli violations and risking renewed conflict.
A report by the Trump-backed Board of Peace initiative states Hamas is the main barrier to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, citing its refusal to disarm and relinquish control. The report, to be presented to the UN Security Council, highlights ongoing ceasefire violations and the critical need for Hamas's decommissioning for reconstruction and Palestinian self-determination.
Hamas's Qassam Brigades leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed in a Gaza City strike, a symbolic blow to the group. Analysts suggest its decentralized structure will limit operational impact, though the future of the fragile ceasefire is questioned.
