Qatar
Hamas to Respond Soon to Trump’s Peace Proposal
The Palestinian group, Hamas, has said it will soon issue an official response to the peace proposal aimed at ending the war between the group and Israel.
The proposal was presented last week in Washington by U.S. President Donald Trump after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has accepted the proposal in principle, but Hamas—classified as a terrorist organisation by both Israel and the United States—has yet to respond.
That appears set to change, with strong indications from Qatar, where Hamas negotiators are based, suggesting that the group’s response will be given “soon.”
The proposal includes the immediate, unconditional release of the 50 hostages believed to still be in Hamas custody, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, including 250 on death row.
It also calls for a ceasefire and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, alongside the creation of an international caretaker committee to administer Palestine. The plan further proposes a board of peace to be chaired by Trump himself.
While generally well-received by the global community, critics argue that the proposal is fraught with clauses that could undermine its success.
United Kingdom
Home Secretary Warns Against Importing External Conflicts
The British Home Office has issued a strong warning against importing external conflicts into the country, stressing that violence of any kind is unacceptable in the United Kingdom.
The warning followed a deadly car-ramming and stabbing attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.
At least three people were killed in the assault, which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described as anti-Semitic in nature. The suspect was shot dead by police before he could inflict further harm.
The attacker, identified as a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, had no publicly known motive.
In response, Starmer ordered heightened security around synagogues nationwide.
The UK recently joined France, Belgium, Malta, Portugal, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in recognising the state of Palestine.
United States
Trump Declares Drug Traffickers ‘Unlawful Combatants’
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order declaring hard drug traffickers from neighbouring countries as “unlawful combatants.”
The order, signed on Thursday, expands his campaign against cartels, primarily from Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela.
Trump said the U.S. military has already targeted trafficking gangs on boats carrying narcotics destined for America. Several people have been killed in at least two such operations.
However, leaders of neighbouring countries have accused Trump of illegality and imperialism.
Defending the move, Trump said the campaign was necessary to protect Americans from the devastating impact of the illegal drug trade.
