Trump’s envoy blames Hamas as Gaza ceasefire talks stall again, as U.N. says Palestinian children are starving to death

President Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff stated Thursday the U.S. was chopping quick the most recent spherical of Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating workforce house from Qatar for consultations, after he stated Hamas had issued a response that “reveals a scarcity of need to succeed in a ceasefire.” 

The talks have been slowed down over conflicting calls for on phrases to finish the 21-month conflict. Hamas says it should solely launch the entire hostages nonetheless held in Gaza in trade for a full Israeli withdrawal and an finish to the conflict.

Israel says it is not going to agree to finish the conflict till Hamas frees the hostages, offers up energy and disarms — a situation the U.S.- and Israeli-designated terrorist group rejects.

Trump envoy blames Hamas for breakdown of ceasefire talks

“Whereas the mediators have made an important effort, Hamas doesn’t look like coordinated or appearing in good religion,” Witkoff stated in an announcement. “We’ll now contemplate various choices to deliver the hostages house and attempt to create a extra secure atmosphere for the folks of Gaza.”

It was unclear what “various choices” the U.S. was contemplating. The White Home had no quick remark, and the State Division didn’t instantly reply to messages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled the Israeli negotiating workforce to Israel in mild of Hamas’ response on Thursday morning. In a quick assertion, the prime minister’s workplace expressed its appreciation for the efforts of Witkoff and mediators Qatar and Egypt, however gave no additional particulars.

In an announcement despatched to CBS Information on Thursday night, a Hamas official stated the group had “all the time behaved with excessive accountability to conclude a complete, viable and sensible deal that may grant a everlasting ceasefire and put an finish to the struggling of our folks, and I ponder how can somebody contemplate this as selfishness.”

The official stated he was “actually shocked” by the “out of context assertion by the U.S. envoy and the overarching angle that displays a preprepared, irresponsible and damaging response” by the U.S.

The official burdened that Hamas was “nonetheless concerned within the ceasefire talks” and anticipated the mediators and the worldwide neighborhood to “carry their accountability” to alleviate the dire circumstances in Gaza.

Earlier Thursday, an Israeli official had advised The Related Press that Hamas’ newest response was “workable.”

One other official with information of the ceasefire talks advised The AP that Hamas had submitted a “optimistic response” via Qatari mediators.

Israel launched its conflict in Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist assault that killed some 1,200 Israelis and noticed 251 others taken hostage. A lot of the captives have been launched or rescued, however Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says 50 stay in Gaza, together with 20 nonetheless believed to be alive.

The conflict has killed greater than 59,000 Palestinians, in line with Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Well being, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians, however says greater than half of the lifeless are girls and youngsters.

“Kids within the Gaza Strip are ravenous to loss of life”

As Israel’s blockade and navy offensive in Gaza grinds on, 4 main information organizations stated Thursday that their journalists within the Palestinian enclave had been dealing with the specter of hunger. The joint assertion by The Related Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters and the BBC known as on Israel to permit journalists out and in of Gaza and to permit satisfactory meals provides into the territory.

The United Nations backed the decision by the media organizations for Israel to let satisfactory meals provides into Gaza and permit journalists to enter and exit freely. U.N. workers in Gaza are hungry, too, deputy spokesman Farhan Haq stated Thursday.

Persons are ravenous “as a result of we’re simply not getting in,” Haq stated, reiterating that obstacles imposed by Israel had been inhibiting the supply of U.N. help.

“If this doesn’t get higher quickly and extra help goes via all the assorted checkpoints, folks will die,” he stated. “We have been saying this for months, and now we’re on the level the place, the truth is, persons are dying.”

UNICEF, the U.N.’s Kids’s Fund, stated in an announcement on Thursday that 798 Palestinian civilians, together with kids, had been killed close to help distribution websites in Gaza between Could 27 and July 7 whereas looking for meals.

Greater than 100 folks have died in Gaza from malnutrition because the conflict began, UNICEF stated, and 80% had been kids. The charity stated screening within the Palestinian enclave had discovered 6,000 kids in a state of acute malnourishment in June alone, marking a 180% improve since February.

“Kids within the Gaza Strip are ravenous to loss of life. Extreme malnutrition is spreading amongst kids sooner than help can attain them, and the world is watching it occur,” UNICEF Regional Director for the Mideast Edouard Beigbeder stated within the group’s assertion.

Jordan considers coordinating help airdrops into Gaza

An Israeli safety official stated in an announcement Friday that the Coordination of Authorities Actions within the Territories, or COGAT — the Israeli navy company answerable for affairs within the Palestinian territories — and the Israel Protection Forces are collectively coordinating future airdrops of help into Gaza which are anticipated to happen within the coming days.

In the meantime, two Jordanian officers advised CBS Information that Amman can also be contemplating help airdrops over Gaza. Planning is within the preliminary phases, and Jordan is encouraging different nations to additionally take part. Late Friday, an Emirati official advised CBS Information that the UAE is contemplating becoming a member of the airdrops over Gaza. 

Two Jordanian officers advised CBS Information that the Jordanian Air Power is concerned in central coordination of the potential help deliveries. Jordan has not but acquired official approval from Israel, however as quickly because it does, it could proceed. 

A United Arab Emirates official additionally advised CBS Information that there’s a 7,000-ton help ship en path to Gaza right now. The official stated the ship was already cleared by Israel. 

A Saudi Arabian official advised CBS Information it has despatched tons of help meant for Gaza, however that the help has been sitting undelivered for weeks. The problem, the official stated, is that the Israeli authorities has rejected practically the entire meals parcels.  

Israel says it’s permitting sufficient help into Gaza and it blames U.N. companies for failing to distribute it. However these companies say it is practically not possible to securely ship help due to Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of legislation and order in Gaza, with crowds of hundreds swarming round meals vans as quickly as they transfer into the territory.

UNICEF stated that from Could 19 to July 2, a median of 30 U.N. help vans entered Gaza per day, in comparison with the common of 500 vans per day that had been getting into earlier than the conflict. The charity stated present meals provides in Gaza amounted to about 6% of the traditional, pre-war ranges.

In better numbers than ever, kids hollowed up by starvation are overwhelming the Affected person’s Pals Hospital, the principle emergency middle for malnourished youngsters in northern Gaza.

Workers on the facility stated 5 younger kids who died final weekend of malnutrition marked a change: They had been the primary deaths seen on the middle in kids who had no preexisting situations. Signs are getting worse, with kids too weak to cry or transfer, stated Dr. Rana Soboh, a nutritionist. In previous months, most youngsters introduced in malnourished improved with remedy, regardless of provide shortages, however now sufferers keep longer and do not get higher, she stated.

The shortage of primary well being care and sanitation can also be enabling lethal ailments to unfold in Gaza, the charity OXFAM warned on Friday.

“Water-borne ailments which are each preventable and readily treatable have elevated by virtually 150% inside Gaza over the previous three months as Israel continues to intentionally block help,” the group stated. “Obtainable multi-agency well being information reveals that the numbers of Palestinians presenting to well being services with acute watery diarrhea have elevated by 150 %, bloody diarrhea by 302 %, and acute jaundice instances by 101 %.”

OXFAM stated the figures had been probably “grossly under-reported as a result of many of the two million folks trapped by Israel’s persevering with siege have little entry to the few healthcare services which have managed to maintain working.”