The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officials. Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to push Gaza ceasefire talks and address the humanitarian crisis.
The U.S. State Department accuses the PA and PLO officials of obstructing peace efforts with Israel and announced visa bans for unnamed individuals, citing actions to internationalize the conflict and ongoing support for violence.
The PA and PLO, which represent the Palestinian people and have long sought international recognition of statehood, have not yet responded to the restrictions.
While the targeted individuals remain unnamed, the move underscores Washington’s firm stance against these groups amid rising diplomatic tensions.
A State Department spokesperson said, “It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace.”
This action contrasts with recent statements from Canada, France, and the United Kingdom, which have declared plans to formally recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations in September.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar praised the U.S. sanctions for their 'moral clarity,' criticising the 'double standards of those rushing to recognise a Palestinian state while ignoring its support for terror.'
The sanctions come after a U.N. conference led by France and Saudi Arabia to promote a two-state solution, which the U.S. and Israel boycotted. President Donald Trump warned that recognizing Palestinian statehood would “reward Hamas”.
Meanwhile, amid mounting humanitarian concerns in Gaza, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 31 July to revive stalled ceasefire negotiations and address the worsening crisis in the Strip.
A senior Israeli official indicated that discussions are moving toward a plan for a full hostage release, disarmament of Hamas, and demilitarisation of Gaza, while continuing military operations.
According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, “The special envoy and the ambassador will brief the president immediately after their visit to approve a final plan for food and aid distribution into the region.”
President Trump called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “terrible,” and stressed the severity of hunger, highlighting ongoing U.S. humanitarian aid efforts.
Recent ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt reached a deadlock over Israeli withdrawal terms, with no response yet from Hamas to Israel’s latest proposal.
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A cemetery in the Gaza Strip containing the remains of 22 Canadian soldiers killed during a 1956 United Nations peacekeeping mission has been destroyed, according to media reports citing families of the deceased.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 25 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Strong earthquakes struck west of Venezuela's capital on Wednesday, toppling buildings in Caracas, trapping people in the rubble and prompting scientists to warn of potentially heavy casualties.
A cemetery in the Gaza Strip containing the remains of 22 Canadian soldiers killed during a 1956 United Nations peacekeeping mission has been destroyed, according to media reports citing families of the deceased.
Tesla has been sued by the family of a 76-year-old Texas woman who was killed when a driver using the company’s Model 3 driver-assistance system crashed into her suburban Houston home, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday (23 June).
Extreme heat in France has killed hundreds of thousands of poultry and overwhelmed carcass disposal systems, agricultural organisations said. A severe heatwave continues to disrupt farming, energy supplies and daily life across Western Europe.
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