International
The mediators will continue the meetings in Cairo after “constructive” negotiations in Doha
The mediators for a truce in Gaza – the United States, Qatar and Egypt – announced on Friday the end of “constructive” negotiations in Doha, and affirmed that the conversation about a US proposal “that closes the gaps” between Israel and Hamas will continue in Cairo.
In a joint statement, the mediators described the negotiations they held on Thursday and Friday with an Israeli negotiating delegation in Doha as “intensive, serious and constructive” and stated that “they were developed in a positive atmosphere.”
The note stressed that “the US today presented a proposal to the two parties (Israel and Hamas), with the support of Qatar and Egypt, which reduces the gaps,” and assured that that offer “is consistent with the principles (of the proposal) of US President Joe Biden,” announced on May 31
He explained that this new US proposal “builds on the points of agreement achieved (…), and closes the remaining gaps in a way that allows a rapid implementation of the ceasefire agreement” in Gaza.
According to the statement, “technical teams will continue work for the next few days on the details (…) including preparations to implement the humanitarian details,” as well as “those related to Palestinian hostages (Israelis) and prisoners”.
In this context, he stressed that “high officials of our Governments will meet again in Cairo before the end of next week with the desire to reach an agreement in accordance with the conditions proposed today.”
The mediators also recalled in the statement that “there is no more time to waste,” and “there are no excuses for any of the parties to justify a further delay.”
Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group say they accept Biden’s proposal, although in recent weeks both the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hamas spokesmen have accused each other of imposing amendments to the US president’s plan.
Hamas has repeatedly insisted that a ceasefire agreement include a definitive cessation of military operations and the complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including the Rafah land crossing and the Philadelphia corridor, both on the border of the Palestinian Strip with Egypt.
For his part, Netanyahu demands, among other demands, the implementation of an Israeli control mechanism in the Netzarim corridor – which divides the north and south of Gaza since the beginning of the war – to ensure that the militiamen do not regroup in the north.
He also insists on the presence of the Israeli Army in the Philadelphia corridor to prevent arms smuggling.
“It is time to release the hostages and prisoners, start a ceasefire and implement the agreement,” the joint statement said, and said: “now the way is paved to achieve that result, save lives, offer help to the people of Gaza and calm tensions in the region.
The mediators, as well as the international community, are pushing for the new round of negotiations to be successful because it is one of the few hopes to avoid an eventual expansion of the war in the Middle East, in the face of Iran’s threat to attack Israel and the possible responses of that country
The Islamist organization Hamas showed its dissatisfaction with what was discussed in the Doha negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza, assuring that what it has been able to know about them “does not include a commitment to what was agreed on July 2,” referring to the original proposal put forward by the United States, whose implementation they demand.
The Islamist organization, which has governed de facto in Gaza since 2007, did not send a delegation to Doha precisely to demand the implementation of what was previously agreed “instead of continuing with new rounds of negotiations.”
International
Trump urges Putin to reach peace deal
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his desire for Russian President Vladimir Putin to “reach a deal” to end the war in Ukraine, while also reaffirming his willingness to impose sanctions on Russia.
“I want to see him reach an agreement to prevent Russian, Ukrainian, and other people from dying,” Trump stated during a press conference in the Oval Office at the White House.
“I think he will. I don’t want to have to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil,” the Republican leader added, recalling that he had already taken similar measures against Venezuela by sanctioning buyers of the South American country’s crude oil.
Trump also reiterated his frustration over Ukraine’s resistance to an agreement that would allow the United States to exploit natural resources in the country—a condition he set in negotiations to end the war.
International
Deportation flight lands in Venezuela; government denies criminal gang links
A flight carrying 175 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrived in Caracas on Sunday. This marks the third group to return since repatriation flights resumed a week ago, and among them is an alleged member of a criminal organization, according to Venezuelan authorities.
Unlike previous flights operated by the Venezuelan state airline Conviasa, this time, an aircraft from the U.S. airline Eastern landed at Maiquetía Airport, on the outskirts of Caracas, shortly after 2:00 p.m. with the deportees.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who welcomed the returnees at the airport, stated that the 175 repatriated individuals were coming back “after being subjected, like all Venezuelans, to persecution” and dismissed claims that they belonged to the criminal organization El Tren de Aragua.
However, Cabello confirmed that “for the first time in these flights we have been carrying out, someone of significance wanted by Venezuelan justice has arrived, and he is not from El Tren de Aragua.” Instead, he belongs to a gang operating in the state of Trujillo. The minister did not disclose the individual’s identity or provide details on where he would be taken.
International
Son of journalist José Rubén Zamora condemns father’s return to prison as “illegal”
The son of renowned journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, José Carlos Zamora, has denounced as “illegal” the court order that sent his father back to a Guatemalan prison on March 3, after already spending 819 days behind barsover a highly irregular money laundering case.
“My father’s return to prison was based on an arbitrary and illegal ruling. It is also alarming that the judge who had granted him house arrest received threats,” José Carlos Zamora told EFE in an interview on Saturday.
The 67-year-old journalist was sent back to prison inside the Mariscal Zavala military barracks on March 3, when Judge Erick García upheld a Court of Appeals ruling that overturned the house arrest granted to him in October. Zamora had already spent 819 days in prison over an alleged money laundering case.
His son condemned the situation as “unacceptable”, stating that the judge handling the case “cannot do his job in accordance with the law due to threats against his life.”
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