International

Hamas rejects the Israeli proposal for a truce and demands a “comprehensivel” ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has once again imposed as conditions for sealing a new truce agreement a “comprehensive” ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.

“The Hamas movement informed the mediating brothers that we adhere to our position and vision already presented on March 14, because the occupation did not respond to any of the basic demands of our people and our resistance,” the group reported in a statement.

Hamas cited “a comprehensive ceasefire, the withdrawal of the Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced and a real exchange of prisoners,” as its fundamental requirements.

Delegations of Israel and Hamas held indirect negotiations over the weekend in Doha – with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States – to achieve a new truce agreement, in which the Israeli delegation, headed by the head of the Mosad, David Barnea, proposed a new proposal, to which the Islamist group had to respond in the coming days.

In today’s statement, Hamas reiterates that “Netanyahu and his extremist government have all the responsibility to thwart negotiation efforts and hinder the achievement of an agreement so far.”

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

Israel called the demands of the Islamist group Hamas “delusional” on Tuesday and warned that “it will not submit to its demands.”

“The position of Hamas clearly shows that it is not interested in continuing negotiations to reach an agreement, and it is an unfortunate testimony of the damage of the Security Council’s decision,” said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Faced with this situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on his negotiating team in Doha to return to Israel.

The proposal rejected by Hamas would contemplate the release of about 700 or 800 Palestinian prisoners, including a hundred convicted of murder, in exchange for the release of about 40 hostages, primarily women, children, the sick and the elderly in a first phase, according to leaks to the Hebrew press.

The new draft doubled the number of Palestinian prisoners that Israel would be willing to release, since weeks ago it was negotiated on a basis of 400 prisoners for 40 hostages, during a six-week truce.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

A critical point in the negotiations is the profile of Palestinian prisoners to be released: Hamas demands about 30 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism, for every female soldier he delivers. Israel’s counter-offer is five of these prisoners for each female soldier.

On the ground, the situation is becoming more dramatic every day. At least 18 Palestinians have died in the north of the Strip in the last few hours, when dozens of “hungry” people entered the sea to collect the humanitarian aid packages launched from the air.

Twelve of them have drowned and six suffocated from the stampede, according to the Ministry of Health of the enclave controlled by Hamas.

It is not the first time that the launch of air packages has claimed the lives of civilians from Gaza.

Faced with this situation, the Palestinian authorities have called for an end to this type of “useless, offensive and inappropriate” operations and asked Israel to open “immediately” the rest of the land border crossings – there are five unopened – to alleviate the “serious” food shortages suffered by civilians in northern Gaza for the sixth consecutive month.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

Meanwhile, the Israeli Army assured on Tuesday that in the last few hours they have attacked more than 60 “terrorist targets” in the Gaza Strip.

“Combat planes attacked more than 60 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, including terrorist tunnels and military infrastructures in which armed terrorists were identified,” they explain in a military statement.

Israeli troops also attacked the area from which on Monday several projectiles were fired towards the Israeli city of Sderot, the closest to the enclave, and also on the city of Ashdod, where for the first time in two months rockets from Hamas arrived, most of them intercepted by the Israeli anti-aircraft defense.

In addition, the Al Shifa hospital is still besieged, more than a week after Israeli troops occupied it for the fourth time since the beginning of the offensive in the Strip, on October 7.

On Monday, the spokesman for the Israeli Army, Daniel Hagari, assured that the operation inside the largest hospital in the Strip is “being one of the most successful” of this war because in just one week they have managed to kill more than 170 alleged militiamen from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, avoiding “damage to patients, civilians and medical equipment.”

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

However, the Ministry of Health of Gaza, controlled by Hamas, denounced that at least 18 patients in this hospital have died in recent days after the incursion of Israeli troops.

For its part, the Palestinian Red Crescent (MLRP) denounced tonight that Jan Yunis’ Al Amal hospital is already out of service as a result of the siege carried out last Sunday by the Israeli Army, when it forced the evacuation of health personnel and the injured.

According to the organization, they also evacuated the bodies of two people who died during the siege, a civilian who was taking refuge in the hospital and a volunteer of the MLRP, a member of the emergency team.

The Hebrew troops justified their assault on this medical center under the same thesis that they maintain in the Shifa: the presence of alleged “terrorists” in these hospital centers.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

Related Topics:Hamas Palestinian Islamist group

Up Next

Alausí, in Ecuador, is still at risk a year after the gigantic avalunc that left 75 dead

Don't Miss

Zelensky: Putin is “a sick and cynical beast” when accusing Ukraine of the Moscow attack

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_300x250

International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.