Some Gazans have also called on Hamas to do more to secure an agreement for a ceasefire deal in the region, AFP reports.

“What are you waiting for? The war must end at any cost,” said a man called Abu Shaker.

In Jerusalem, a student-led protest near Israel’s parliament urged the government to secure a hostage release deal. “Ceasefire now,” said one banner as demonstrators marched with portraits of some of the hostages.

Hamas responded to mediators Qatar and Egypt late on Tuesday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in the region this week, has said some of its proposed amendments “are workable and some are not”.

Blinken has said Israel is behind the plan, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose far-right government allies strongly oppose the deal, has not publicly endorsed it.

Students holding images of kidnapped Israelis, rally calling on the Israeli government to stop the operation in Gaza and bring back the hostage held by Hamas, outside the Knesset or Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on June 13, 2024. — AFP
Students holding images of kidnapped Israelis, rally calling on the Israeli government to stop the operation in Gaza and bring back the hostage held by Hamas, outside the Knesset or Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on June 13, 2024. — AFP

Opinion

A changed world

A changed world

The phrase ‘security provider’ sounds impressive but there is little clarity on what it means for the country.

Editorial

Bannu attack
Updated 12 May, 2026

Bannu attack

The security narrative and strategy of the KP government diverges considerably from the state’s position.
Cotton crisis
12 May, 2026

Cotton crisis

PAKISTAN’S cotton economy is once again facing a crisis that exposes the country’s flawed agricultural and...
Buddhist heritage
12 May, 2026

Buddhist heritage

THE revival of Buddhist chants at the ancient Dharmarajika Stupa in Taxila after nearly 1,500 years is much more ...
New regional order
Updated 11 May, 2026

New regional order

The fact is that the US has only one true security commitment in the Middle East — Israel.
A better start
11 May, 2026

A better start

THE first 1,000 days of a child’s life often shape decades to come. In Pakistan, where chronic malnutrition has...
Widening gap
11 May, 2026

Widening gap

PAKISTAN’S monthly trade deficit ballooned to $4.07bn last month, its highest level since June 2022, further...