U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has blamed the Palestinian militant group Hamas for the recent escalation in Gaza, reiterating Washington's unwavering support for Israel.
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Witkoff stated that Hamas had been given multiple opportunities to prevent the violence. “Hamas had every opportunity to demilitarize, to accept the bridging proposal that would have given us a 40- or 50-day ceasefire where we could have discussed demilitarization and a final truce. There were all kinds of opportunities to do that, and they elected not to,” he said.
Despite the violence, Witkoff noted that the U.S. remains open to diplomatic discussions with Hamas, echoing a similar stance taken in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “Would we be amenable to a reach-out from Hamas? Of course, we would be – no different than in the Russian conflict. We want to end the killing, but we need to be clear who the aggressor is here, and that is Hamas,” he added.
The Israeli military resumed heavy strikes on Gaza on March 18 following the collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which had been in effect since January 19. Since the resumption of attacks, over 670 Palestinians have been killed, with more than 1,200 others injured. The toll on Gaza’s population has been devastating, with at least 50,021 Palestinians killed and 113,274 others wounded since October 7, 2023.
In the wake of the failed ceasefire, Israel announced it would escalate military action against Hamas, rejecting new ceasefire proposals. Hamas, for its part, accused Israel of violating its commitments and resuming a campaign of genocide against Palestinians.
This renewed conflict comes amid internal political unrest in Israel, including the controversial dismissal of Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Negotiations in Cairo to secure a ceasefire in Gaza were close to a "significant breakthrough," two Egyptian security sources told Reuters on Monday.
Thousands of Pakistanis gathered in Lahore to express solidarity with Palestinians, launching a new alliance to coordinate protests and boycotts.
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv, calling for an end to the Gaza war and pressing for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The World Food Programme has warned that its food supplies in Gaza have run out, leaving hundreds of thousands at risk as charity kitchens face imminent shutdown.
Israel warned on Thursday it will unleash an even wider offensive in Gaza unless Hamas frees its remaining hostages, a threat issued as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 55 people across the enclave, according to local medics.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
At the Three Seas Initiative summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković briefed reporters after talks with leaders from 11 Central- and Eastern-European states, underscoring regional cooperation on energy.
Meta is launching its first-ever AI developer conference, LlamaCon, on Tuesday, aiming to re-engage the developer community and spotlight the company’s Llama family of open AI models.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 23rd, covering the latest developments you need to know.
For three generations, the Liebigs built railcars in Görlitz. Now, the factory that shaped their lives will produce parts for battle tanks.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic cooperation, with a shared goal of boosting bilateral trade turnover to $5 billion in the coming years.
Emirates Airline will start taking delivery of its outstanding aircraft orders in the second quarter of 2025, Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told a roundtable at Dubai’s Arab Travel Market on Tuesday.
Senior aviation officials from Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia met in Baku to discuss expanding air links and deepening cooperation in the aviation sector, with a focus on tourism and economic growth.
One hundred days into his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has reasserted his leadership with sweeping domestic crackdowns and disruptive foreign policies, reshaping America’s direction at home and abroad.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended the deadline until September 10 for foreigners who have violated migration rules to either legalize their stay in Russia or leave the country.
Estonia’s defense minister Hanno Pevkur says the U.S. will keep its 80,000 troops in Europe, calling bases like Ramstein and Naples crucial to NATO’s eastern shield and American power projection despite Washington’s growing Indo-Pacific focus.
Mark Carney walked into the Prime Minister’s Office on Wellington Street Tuesday morning, his first official act after steering the Liberals to a decisive election triumph and reclaiming the reins of Canada’s government.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
At the Three Seas Initiative summit, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković briefed reporters after talks with leaders from 11 Central- and Eastern-European states, underscoring regional cooperation on energy.
Meta is launching its first-ever AI developer conference, LlamaCon, on Tuesday, aiming to re-engage the developer community and spotlight the company’s Llama family of open AI models.
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