Furious Trump orders Hamas and Israel to strike peace deal | World | News
Donald Trump’s Palestinian peace plan hangs in the balance after Israel continued its blitz on Gaza City, despite warnings to stop.
At least 21 civilians were killed by Israeli forces and 96 wounded in the past 24 hours, according to the Palestinian militant group Hamas which runs the enclave’s health ministry.
The deaths bring the number killed in retaliation for the October 7 massacre to at least 67,160.
The toll came on the day Egypt hosted talks between Hamas and Israeli in the Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh
Negotiators and mediators from the US, Israel and Hamas sat down as the US president warned them to “move fast” and finally end the two-year war on the Gaza Strip.
President Trump called for “everyone to MOVE FAST”, adding “I am told the first phase should be completed this week”.
But on the eve of the anniversary of the October 7 massare US secretary of state Marco Rubio said: “You can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop.”
Hamas has vowed to release all remaining hostages if Israel withdraws from Gaza.
It slaughtered 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostage, during its cross-border raid. There are thought to be 48 still being held in Gaza, but only 20 are said to be alive.
The Hamas delegation is being headed by Khalil al-Hayya who survived an assassination attempt by Israel in Qatar last month.
President Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza – announced last week to international fanfare – is the basis for the talks
It has been accepted by Israel while Hamas has agreed to parts of the plan – including the release of Israeli hostages – but has not signed up to all the conditions.
Iran – one of Hamas’s main sponsors – has signalled support for Trump’s plan, the first stage of which centres on the release of Hamas-held hostages and 1,950 Palestinian prisoners.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Iran’s foreign ministry said: “Taking into account the dangerous dimensions and aspects of this proposal, and while reiterating its warning about the repeated breaches and obstructionism by the Zionist regime in fulfilling its promises, especially in light of its expansionist and racist plans, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers any decision in this regard to be within the authority of the Palestinian people and resistance.
“It welcomes any decision by them that guarantees halting the genocide of Palestinians, the withdrawal of the occupying Zionist army from Gaza, respect for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the reconstruction of Gaza.”
Israel said 1,152 military personnel have been killed since the start of the war, include soldiers, police officers, civilian security officers, deaths in battle as well as accidents, illnesses and suicides.
Some 42% of those killed were under the age of 21, including many conscripts, and 141 were aged over 40.
President Trump has dispatched his special envoy Steve Witkoff and financier son-in-law Jared Kushner, who served as an advisor during his first term in the White House.
A key plank of his roadmap to peace is for Israel is to suspend military operations in Gaza.
Israel said there had been “a temporary halt in certain bombings” but stopped short of confirming a complete cessation of hostilities.
In August Israel approved a plan to seize control of Gaza City, describing it as the last bastion of Hamas militants.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to expand military control sparked global outcry over the devastation of the territory and famine spreading among the largely homeless population of 2.1 million.
Mr Netanyahu is said to want an outright Israeli takeover and re-settlement of Gaza and has vowed that war will rage until Hamas is eradicated.
After the October 7 massacre he promised Israelis the terror cell would be “wiped from the face of the earth”.
