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Won’t Concede
Israel agreed to a U.S.-proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal with Hamas on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump called on both sides to accept a truce. “We are serious in our will to reach a hostage deal and a cease-fire,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Wednesday. “Our goal is to begin proximity talks as soon as possible.”
Won’t Concede
Israel agreed to a U.S.-proposed Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal with Hamas on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump called on both sides to accept a truce. “We are serious in our will to reach a hostage deal and a cease-fire,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Wednesday. “Our goal is to begin proximity talks as soon as possible.”
Under the U.S. proposal, Israel and Hamas would adhere to a 60-day cease-fire, during which Israeli troops would partially withdraw from Gaza and a surge of humanitarian aid would be allowed into the territory. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks while trying to access food at aid distribution sites, including those controlled by the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
It is unclear how many hostages would be exchanged as part of the deal; Israeli forces believe that 50 people remain in Hamas’s captivity, of whom fewer than half are believed to still be alive. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to suggest that Israel may prioritize rescuing the hostages over defeating Hamas, a shift in his previous portrayal of the country’s goals.
Still, several conditions of the agreement remain in contention, and neither Israel nor Hamas appear willing to make concessions. Trump has suggested that the deal would work toward establishing a permanent end to the war; however, Netanyahu reiterated on Wednesday that he will not accept any peace deal unless Hamas is defeated. “[T]here will be no Hamas” in postwar Gaza, Netanyahu said, adding that Israel will only agree to halt all fighting if Hamas surrenders, disarms, and exiles itself.
Hamas, meanwhile, has said that it’s willing to free the remaining hostages if Israel agrees to a complete withdrawal from Gaza. The group is “ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war,” Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said. Israel rejects both of these conditions.
International pressure is growing to clinch a deal, as Gaza’s Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that the death toll for Palestinians has surpassed 57,000 people. “I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better—IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday.
A Hamas delegation reportedly flew to Cairo on Wednesday to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators about potential truce proposals, and Netanyahu is expected to visit the White House next Monday to further discuss the conflict. His visit will come just days after Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with top U.S. officials in Washington. Trump himself has suggested that a cease-fire deal could come together as soon as next week.
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What We’re Following
The next Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama confirmed on Wednesday that, upon his death, he will be reincarnated as the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. With just days remaining before he turns 90, the Dalai Lama spelled out the succession process, ending speculation that he would be the last reincarnated version of the religion’s spiritual leader.
The current Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule and now lives in exile in India. Since his exile began, he has advocated for nonviolence and support of Tibetan independence, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
China maintains that only Beijing can approve the Dalai Lama’s successor. However, the Dalai Lama affirmed on Wednesday that the next reincarnation will be born outside of China, urging his followers to reject whoever Beijing claims is the next spiritual guide.
“For China, controlling this succession offers the ultimate prize: legitimizing decades of occupation by transforming Tibet’s greatest symbol of resistance into an instrument of state authority,” Kelsang Aukatsang argues in Foreign Policy.
Bolstering trade. The Latin American Mercosur trade bloc concluded talks on Wednesday with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to cement a new free trade deal. With all five full and active Mercosur members (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) as well as all four EFTA nations (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) signing off, the agreement will create a free trade area of almost 300 million people and a combined GDP of more than $4.3 trillion, according to a joint statement issued by the two blocs.
“Both sides will benefit from improved market access for more than 97% of their exports, which will increase bilateral trade and translate into benefits for businesses and individuals,” the statement said.
The agreement still requires parliamentary approval and legal review from both blocs’ individual members, but the Norwegian delegation said it expects that process to be finished in early 2026. The deal will enter into force three months after all the signatory countries have ratified it.
Mercosur has targeted European markets before. Last December, the bloc struck a free trade deal with the European Union in an effort to increase bilateral investments and promote sustainable development, including efforts to fight climate change. That agreement still needs to be translated and ratified by all 27 EU states, though it has faced pushback from some countries, such as France.
Leaving the IAEA. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Wednesday that Tehran has suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The announcement came after Iran’s parliament approved a bill last week to suspend the country’s cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog.
Under the legislation, “IAEA inspectors will not be permitted to enter Iran unless the security of the country’s nuclear facilities and that of peaceful nuclear activities is guaranteed,” Iranian media reported.
Pezeshkian has claimed that the IAEA is a biased organization and that it gave information about Tehran’s nuclear facilities to Israel. However, experts suggest that the suspension could also be a tactic to gain leverage in future nuclear negotiations with the United States.
Trump has suggested that such talks will begin soon, but Tehran appears less optimistic. “I don’t think negotiations will restart as quickly as that,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said this week, though he added that “the doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.”
Iran maintains that its uranium enrichment facilities are for civilian purposes, but Israeli and U.S. intelligence have suggested that Tehran was close to developing a nuclear weapon before the start of the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict, which targeted Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. Last month, the IAEA accused Iran of failing to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations—a day before Israel launched its first strike.
Odds and Ends
North Korea is embracing summer with a new beach resort. The Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, which opened on Tuesday, can accommodate nearly 20,000 people with its hotels, restaurants, and slew of water activities, according to North Korean state media. The resort is part of leader Kim Jong Un’s latest efforts to improve the country’s economy by boosting tourism. But with most foreign visitors still banned from entering the country, it is unclear just how successful the venture will be.
Great Job Alexandra Sharp & the Team @ World Brief – Foreign Policy Source link for sharing this story.
