ceasefire
Putin’s definite ‘maybe’ on ceasefire with Ukraine keeps the White House engaged
Despite initiating Europe’s worst war since Hitler and having the blood of hundreds of thousands on his hands, Russia’s Vladimir Putin is not a leader known for making big decisions quickly. More often than not over his long tenure at the top of Russia’s power pyramid, many analysts believe Putin prefers to delay and defer rather than act decisively. And so, when Putin’s answer finally came Thursday as to whether he would agree to a U.S.-backed Ukrainian proposal for a 30 day ceasefire, it was characteristically non-committal. “We agree with the proposals toRead more
Israel offers Hamas ceasefire proposal that could end war in Gaza, Biden says
Israel has presented Hamas with a truce proposal that could immediately lead to a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, after the United States said the deal could pave the way to ending the war after nearly eight months. The first of the deal’s three phases would see Israeli forces fully withdraw from all “populated areas” of Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners — including women, children and the elderly — released from captivity. Palestinian families would be able to return to their homes, if they still stand, and aid deliveries to the devastated enclave would “surge” to 600Read more
Hamas agreement, public protests put pressure on Israel to reach ceasefire deal
After 24 hours of fast-breaking and often contradictory actions by both Hamas and Israel’s government, a ceasefire in their catastrophic seven-month war still feels distant. Yet a flurry of diplomatic activity could put the two sides closer to a deal than they’ve been in months. When the news broke Monday afternoon that Hamas’s leadership in Qatar had agreed to the terms of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, Israel’s government appeared caught off-guard. The immediate reaction from Israeli media commentators was that it was a “trap” — not a sincere gesture, but ratherRead more