Israel rejects US ceasefire proposal, sticks to own framework
Israel has rejected a US-mediated proposal for a 70-day ceasefire, increased aid to Gaza, and the release of ten hostages—five alive and five deceased—calling it a “surrender to Hamas.”
Israel insists on the “Witkoff framework,” introduced by Prime Minister Netanyahu in March. It offers a 50-day truce in exchange for hostage releases, followed by talks on a longer ceasefire. The plan excludes Hamas’s key demands: Israeli troop withdrawal and the release of Palestinian prisoners, as reported by Xinhua.
Talks ended last week after Netanyahu recalled the Israeli delegation. Over 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to Gaza health officials.
4.3 ML earthquake jolts Jajarkot
A 4.3 magnitude earthquake shook Jajarkot district on Monday.
The tremor occurred at 2: 25 am today with its epicentre at Ramidanda, Barekot Rural Municipality in Jajarkot, said Chintak Timsina, Head of the Earthquake Monitoring Centre in Surkhet.
Head of Gaza aid foundation resigns ahead of launch
Jake Wood, the head of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resigned on Sunday, one day before relief supplies were scheduled to begin, citing the organization's inability to follow humanitarian values of neutrality and independence.
The foundation, which operates under Israeli security authority and employs private contractors, has received harsh condemnation from the UN and aid organizations, which have refused to cooperate with it. Critics claim the strategy undermines impartial aid delivery and lacks transparency, according to Reuters.
Israel supports the operation but denies any direct involvement. Despite limited aid access and the ongoing blockade, the foundation wants to reach one million Gazans in its first week.
Hamas has condemned the initiative, calling it a tool for control and starvation. Israel claims the system prevents aid from being diverted by Hamas, a charge Hamas denies.
Gaza remains in crisis, with over 2m people at risk of famine after months of restricted aid, Reuters reported.
Trump clashes with Harvard over foreign students
US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on Harvard University to disclose the names and countries of all its international students, citing concerns over transparency and federal funding.
The demand came after a federal judge halted the administration's attempt to suspend Harvard's authority to enroll international students through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, according to Xinhua.
Trump criticized the University for enrolling a high percentage of international students, stating that many are from hostile nations and contribute little financially.
Harvard reports that more than 27 percent of its students are international. The legal dispute is still underway, Xinhua reported.
