International
The Government of Israel accuses Hamas of wanting to modify the truce agreement and postpones its vote
The Office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas on Thursday of creating a “last-minute crisis” after allegedly trying to modify details of the draft ceasefire in Gaza announced yesterday by Qatar, and assured that the Israeli government will not approve its implementation until the disagreements are clarified.
“Hamas violates parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions,” the Israeli president’s office denounced today. “The cabinet will not meet until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all the elements of the agreement.”
In a statement in response, Hamas said that “it is committed to the ceasefire agreement, announced by the mediators.” For his part, Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, told EFE that he did not know what Netanyahu’s words about new demands meant.
One of the spokesmen of the Islamist organization, Sami Abu Zuhri, blamed Israel on Thursday for seeking to “create tension at a critical moment” and demanded that the US administration force compliance with the agreement.
The Directorate of Kidnapped, Repatriate and Disappeared of the Netanyahu Office informed the families of the kidnapped early of the setback in the negotiations.
The Government meeting, which was scheduled for this Thursday at 11:00 am (9:00 GMT), is thus postponed indefinitely until the discrepancies are resolved, but Israeli local media say that it could be held this afternoon.
In addition to all this, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that his party would leave the coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he does not commit to resuming the war in Gaza “immediately after” the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
This morning, Netanyahu’s Office reported, in a first statement, that the prime minister had spoken by phone with the Doha mediators, who informed him that Hamas was trying to move away from what was already agreed on May 27, by wanting to choose who will be the prisoners released in an exchange for hostages.
“Among other things, contrary to an explicit clause that grants Israel the right to veto the release of mass murderers who are symbols of terrorism, Hamas wants to dictate the identity of those terrorists,” the text denounces, in what it describes as “blackmail attempts.”
However, Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told EFE that he did not know what Netanyahu’s words about new demands referred to.
According to the public broadcaster Kan, the sudden delay of the government vote could in turn be due to “the ongoing deliberations” of the Religious Zionism party, chaired by the Minister of Finance and far-right settler Bezalel Smotrich, on whether or not to leave the Executive once the ceasefire is approved.
Both Smotrich and the also settler and Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, oppose what they consider a “surrender” agreement before Hamas, which would also prevent their longings for Jewish settlers to reoccupy the post-war Palestinian enclave.
But even if this happened, Netanyahu would have the majority support to give the green light to the ceasefire, which would come into force this Sunday after more than 15 months of massacres and about 47,000 Gazans dead.
According to leaks, in a first phase Hamas will gradually release, and in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, 33 hostages (alive and dead) giving priority to women still captive – including soldiers -, people over 50 years old, children under nineteen and the sick.
The Arab League, made up of 22 states, also demanded to prioritize the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza as soon as the agreement between Israel and Hamas enters into force, and that the war be “completely ended”.
On the other hand, the United States, Qatar and Egypt, the mediators and guarantors of the truce agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, confirmed in a joint statement that they will ensure the implementation of the pact by both parties “in all its phases.”
“Egypt, the State of Qatar and the United States of America affirm that their policy as guarantors of the agreement is to ensure that both parties fully implement their three phases,” underlined a joint statement made public in the last few hours by the Egyptian Presidency.
In addition, after the agreement, the Israeli Army killed at least 71 Gazati between the night and early hours of Thursday, according to local sources in the Gaza Strip.
International
Police investigate deaths of Rob Reiner and wife as apparent homicide
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the deaths of Hollywood actor and filmmaker Rob Reinerand his wife as an “apparent homicide,” amid a wave of tributes to the director of classics such as When Harry Met Sally.
According to U.S. media reports on Sunday, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles mansion with what appeared to be stab wounds.
Several political figures shared messages of condolence following the reported deaths of the director of A Few Good Menand his wife.
While the LAPD did not officially confirm the identities of the victims, it stated that homicide detectives were dispatched to the Reiner residence.
“At this time, no additional details are available and the investigation into an apparent homicide is ongoing,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement posted on social media.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that no arrests have been made and that no individuals are currently being questioned as suspects.
“I’m not going to confirm whether anyone is being questioned at this moment or not. We are going to try to speak with as many family members as we can,” Hamilton said.
CNN reported that a family spokesperson confirmed the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, former U.S. President Barack Obama, and former Vice President Kamala Harrisissued statements expressing their condolences.
International
U.S. and Mexico Reach Deal to Address Water Deficit Under 1944 Treaty
The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement to comply with current water obligations affecting U.S. farmers and ranchers and for Mexico to cover its water deficit to Texas under the 1944 Water Treaty, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
The department уточified that the agreement applies to both the current cycle and the water deficit from the previous cycle.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Mexico of failing to comply with the water-sharing treaty between the two countries, which requires the United States to deliver 1.85 billion cubic meters of water from the Colorado River, while Mexico must supply 432 million cubic meters from the Rio Grande.
Mexico is behind on its commitments. According to Washington, the country has accumulated a deficit of more than one billion cubic meters of water over the past five years.
“This violation is severely harming our beautiful crops and our livestock in Texas,” Trump wrote on Monday.
The Department of Agriculture said on Friday that Mexico had agreed to supply 250 million cubic meters of water starting next week and to work toward closing the shortfall.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, quoted in the statement, said Mexico delivered more water in a single year than it had over the previous four years combined.
Trump has said that if Mexico continues to fall short of its obligations, the United States reserves the right to impose 5% tariffs on imported Mexican products.
Mexico’s Deputy Foreign Minister for North America, Roberto Velasco, said that a severe drought in 2022 and 2023prevented the country from meeting its commitments.
International
Several people shot in attack on Brown University campus
Several people were shot on Saturday in an attack on the campus of Brown University, in the northeastern United States, local police reported.
“Shelter in place and avoid the area until further notice,” the Providence Police Department urged in a post on X. Brown University is located in Providence, the capital of the state of Rhode Island.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that he had been briefed on the situation and that the FBI was on the scene.
At 5:52 p.m. local time (11:52 p.m. GMT), Brown University said the situation was still “ongoing” and instructed students to remain sheltered until further notice.
After initially stating that the suspect had been taken into custody, Trump later posted a second message clarifying that local police had walked back that information. “The suspect has NOT been apprehended,” the U.S. president said.
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