Israel-Gaza live updates: Hamas responds unfavorably to cease-fire proposal
As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.
Latest Developments
Jun 4, 4:13 PM
World Central Kitchen serves 50 million meals to people in Gaza
World Central Kitchen has now served 50 million meals in Gaza, the organization announced during a press briefing Tuesday.
"I'd like to announce that we have just crossed the 50 million meal mark in Gaza. That is a huge accomplishment for us. We're about 50,100,000 right now. As many of you know, we had to pause our work in Gaza after the Israeli attack on our personnel convoy on April 1, which killed seven of our colleagues," World Central Kitchen Chief Communications Officer Linda Roth said during the press conference.
"Jose, our founder, says the decision to restart feeding in Gaza was both the hardest and the simplest one we could make," Roth said.
Right now, the organization has two main World Central Kitchen kitchens operating in Gaza in Deir al Balah and Mawasi, and "another 65 community kitchens spread throughout the strip," Roth said.
"We have about 400 Palestinian Response Corps members and hundreds and hundreds of more volunteers that are working to feed everyone in Gaza. It's Palestinians feeding Palestinians," Roth said.
-ABC News Guy Davies and Nadine Shubailat
Jun 4, 4:02 PM
IDF says things are at a breaking point in the north
The Israel Defense Forces say things have reached a breaking point along its border with Lebanon, where there has been an exchange of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah for months.
"We are approaching the point where a decision will have to be made, and the IDF is prepared and very ready for this decision. We have been striking here for eight months and Hezbollah is paying a very, very high price," Herzi Halevi, a spokesperson for the IDF, said Tuesday.
"Hezbollah has increased its attacks in recent days and we are prepared after a very good process of training up to the level of a General Staff exercise to move to an offensive in the north. Strong defense, readiness for an offensive, we are approaching a decision point," the IDF said.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
Jun 4, 4:02 PM
Current cease-fire proposal has majority support in parliament, Israeli opposition leader says
The current cease-fire proposal has majority support in the Knesset, Israeli parliament, according to Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid.
"There is a large and clear majority in the government, the Knesset and the public in favor of a deal," Lapid said.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
Jun 4, 3:38 PM
Hezbollah responds to Ben Gvir's call for war, saying it's ready
Hezbollah has responded to far-right Israeli Minister Ben Gvir's calls for war, with the group saying it's ready.
"If 'Israel' wants to wage an all-out war, we are ready for it. Any Israeli expansion of the war on Lebanon will be met with devastation, destruction and displacement in Israel," Deputy Secretary General of Hezbollah Sheikh Naeem Qassem told Al Jazeera Tuesday.
"Our decision is not to expand the war, but we will fight it if it is imposed on us," he said.
He also claimed that President Joe Biden's cease-fire proposal is a political move ahead of the election.
"There is no serious American decision to stop the 'Israeli' war on Gaza," Qassem said.
-ABC News' Nasser Atta
Jun 4, 2:08 PM
Hamas says it won’t accept deal without permanent cease-fire, complete withdrawal from Gaza
Hamas will not accept a Gaza truce deal without clear commitment from Israel to a permanent cease-fire and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Hamas official Osama Hamdan said Tuesday.
"We have communicated our position to the mediators that we cannot agree to a deal unless there is a clear position from the Israeli occupation it is committed to a permanent cease-fire and a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip,” Hamdan said during a press conference in Beirut.
Hamdan said he does not believe Israel will commit to a cease-fire and called on Israel to submit a clear position of its readiness for a permanent cease-fire and complete withdrawal from Gaza.
"We cannot agree to a deal that does not secure, guarantee and confirm a permanent cease-fire, comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the completion of a serious and real exchange deal," Hamdan said.
"We asked the mediators to obtain a clear position from the Israeli occupation regarding its commitment to a permanent cease-fire and a comprehensive withdrawal," he added.
-ABC News' Ayat Al-Tawy
Jun 4, 12:36 PM
Hamas responds unfavorably to current cease-fire proposal
Hamas officials are not responding favorably to President Joe Biden's speech Friday and what they call the current proposal on the table.
A Hamas leader said no Hamas delegation has gone to Cairo, and the group is not accepting the offer given to them by mediators, the leader told Al-Mayadeen, a Lebanese news channel.
"We do not want to start from scratch, and our basic condition now is official Israeli approval of the previous paper, otherwise there will be no rounds and discussions," the leader said to Al-Mayadeen.
Separately, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the group frowns upon Washington and the West's calls for it to accept Biden's proposal on Gaza "as if it is Hamas who is hampering the deal," he said Tuesday.
Israel is not serious about reaching a deal in Gaza and is still maneuvering under the U.S.'s cover, Abu Zuhri said to Hamas media.
-ABC News' Nasser Atta
Jun 4, 12:02 PM
Qatar says Israel and Hamas should have clear positions for Gaza cease-fire
Qatar’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday it was "too early" to reach a cease-fire deal and that there should be a clear position from both sides on the U.S. truce proposal.
"We are waiting for a clear Israeli position that represent the entire Israeli government," Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told reporters during a press briefing on Tuesday. "Any talk of reaching a deal needs a clear position from both sides towards ideas put on the table."
The deal should offer a road map for a permanent cease-fire and an end to the war, he said.
"It is too early thus far. We do not have clear positions from both sides," he said, adding that mediators remain hopeful as they push ahead with efforts to reach a deal but are "not always optimistic."
-ABC News' Ayat Al-Tawy
Jun 3, 6:15 PM
Netanyahu to address joint session of Congress
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver an address before the two houses of the U.S. Congress, his office confirmed Monday.
A date has not been set yet, his office said.
Plans for Netanyahu's address come after Congressional big four leaders invited Netanyahu in a joint letter sent Friday.
-ABC News' Jonathan Karl, Benjamin Siegel, Allison Pecorin and Bruno Nota
Jun 3, 4:10 PM
4 hostages confirmed dead
Israeli forces confirmed the deaths of four more hostages: Haim Peri, Yoram Metzger, Amiram Cooper and Nadav Popplewell.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said the four hostages were "killed together" a "few months ago" while "IDF forces were operating" in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Hagari said Israeli forces are "examining the circumstances" of their deaths.
Cooper, 85, was an economist and a poet, and a father of four and grandfather of 11, according to Kibbutz Nir Oz. His wife, Nurit Cooper, was also kidnapped and later released, the kibbutz said.
Metzger, 80, was a father of three and grandfather of seven. His wife, Tamar Metzger, was also abducted to Gaza and later released, the kibbutz said.
Popplewell, 51, was kidnapped with his mother, who has been released, the Hostages Families Forum said.
Peri, 80, was abducted while protecting his wife, the Hostages Families Forum said. He leaves behind his wife, five children and 13 grandchildren.
Peri's family said he "heroically survived in the Hamas tunnels, under inhumane conditions, for around 4 months," and he "survived with the hope and faith that the state of Israel will fulfill its moral duty to bring him home."
"The government of Israel and its Prime Minister have no right to leave the hostages in captivity, dismantling Israel’s foundational principle of mutual responsibility," Peri's family said. "We call upon the government of Israel to strive for an immediate deal, save those still alive, and bring those who are not, to a proper burial."
"The heartbreak that comes with this painful news should shake every citizen in the State of Israel and lead every leader to profound soul-searching," the Hostages Families Forum said in a statement Monday. "The Israeli government must send out a negotiating delegation this evening and return all 124 hostages, both living and murdered. ... We reiterate our demand to the Israeli government: approve the Netanyahu deal immediately!"
Jun 3, 4:05 PM
Biden says Israel ready to 'move forward with the terms' of deal, Hamas is 'only obstacle'
President Joe Biden told the emir of Qatar on Monday that Israel is ready to "move forward with the terms" of the hostage and cease-fire deal, according to the White House readout of the call.
Biden said that "Hamas is now the only obstacle to a complete ceasefire," and the president "urged [Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani] to use all appropriate measures to secure Hamas’ acceptance of the deal," the White House said.
