For days, Israel has been buzzing about the prospect of an easing of the conflict in Gaza. While Benjamin Netanyahu makes ambiguous statements, military leaders clearly express the tiredness of an army exhausted after nine months of war, with limited resources of ammunition and equipment. Media rumors and public discussions further fuel anticipation and uncertainty. The latest is the one reported by Times of Israel, according to which the Israeli prime minister would have called a meeting of the Security Cabinet to discuss the truce proposal advanced by Hamas. But in the meantime, also the border with Lebanon it is in alarm due to tensions with Hezbollah, which recently fired rockets towards Israel, sparking new clashes and concerns about escalation in the region.
The spotlight was turned on this week on a series of high profile meetings. The Turkish Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who took over the six-month presidency of the EU, was in Kiev for the first time since the outbreak of the war, meeting the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and highlighting a deep frost between the two leaders. Orban proposed an immediate ceasefire, clashing with Zelensky's firm response who insisted on an uncompromising "just peace". While the two leaders outlined their differences over the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, Vladimir Putin held key meetings with Xi Jinping e Recep Tayyip Erdogan, shedding new light on complex global power plays.
Glimmers of respite? Hamas makes a new proposal, Israel studies it
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has called a Security Cabinet meeting to discuss the ceasefire proposal put forward by Hamas, which includes the return of the hostages. Before the meeting, Netanyahu will also consult his representatives at the negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the USA (a phone call with Biden is expected today) to evaluate the proposal. This is what was reported by Times of Israel, citing a source from the Israeli prime minister's staff. At the same time, senior Israeli officials at the information site Axios they would state that “Hamas' response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire and hostage agreement was constructive and opens the door to more detailed negotiations that could lead to an agreement.” As for the contents of the draft agreement, have not yet been made public. However, considering the Israeli government's willingness to engage in dialogue, one could hypothesize that Hamas has softened its positions regarding the definitive cessation of hostilities and complete withdrawal of IDF forces laid down by the Gaza Strip, now exhausted.
According to the United Nations humanitarian agency, around 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced at least once since the conflict began, with around 1,9 million people displaced multiple times due to Israeli military operations that have fragmented the besieged territory.
Meanwhile, in response to the launches of rockets e drones by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon to military bases in northern Israel, the Israeli army hit shooting positions in southern Lebanon. This confrontation followed over 200 rockets and 20 drones launched by Hezbollah, causing fires in several areas.
In the context of IDF leaders' concerns about an escalation with Hezbollah on the Lebanese border, Netanyahu continues to resist pressure for a ceasefire, seen as a threat to his political stability. The end of the raids in the Gaza Strip without the disarmament of Hamas could lead to resignation of far-right forces by the government and early elections, an option supported by the families of the hostages who accuse Netanyahu of sacrificing the lives of their loved ones in an endless war.
Ukraine: Orban calls for truce, while Putin meets Xi and Erdogan
The Hungarian prime minister, known for his pro-Putin positions, was the first European leader to ask Zelensky and Kiev for an "immediate ceasefire" to favor the peace negotiations with Russia, without preconditions. Zelensky rejected the idea, clarifying that for Ukraine there can only be "a just peace", without any concessions to Moscow, rather inviting the Hungarian leader to "join Ukraine's efforts" in this sense. Although the meeting highlighted the deep distance between the two leaders, the Ukrainian president said that Orban's visit could mark a new chapter in the relations between Ukraine and Hungary. Moscow does not see it this way and has downplayed the visit of the Hungarian leader, underlining that it has no "expectations": "The responsibilities in the context of Brussels' interests will prevail", according to spokesman Peskov.
Meanwhile, the Russian president Vladimir Putin met the leaders of China and Turkey in Kazakhstan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a bloc of countries established in 2001 and described as “the anti-NATO.” With the Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed economic cooperation until 2030 and growing trade, with Putin calling Russian-Chinese relations the best in history, speaking of a "golden age" based on principles of equality, mutual benefit and respect for sovereignty. Xi stressed the importance of preserving the unique value of relations between Beijing and Moscow and the need to cooperate to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both countries.
Subsequently, Putin met with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the approximately hour-long meeting, the two leaders discussed economic and energy cooperation, including the construction of the Sinop nuclear power plant in Turkey. Erdogan has expressed his commitment to peace in the region, proposing a ceasefire in Ukraine as the first step towards a negotiated solution to the conflict. But the Kremlin clarified Erdogan's role as a possible mediator on Ukraine: “No, impossible,” reported Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
The two also addressed global issues such as the war in Gaza, the situation in Syria and the fight against terrorism. Erdogan reiterated Turkey's firm intention not to allow the creation of a Kurdish state across the Syrian border and requested Russian intervention for a stable and lasting peace. In his meetings, Putin also had a face-to-face meeting with the interim Iranian president Mokhberinstead the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, will pay an official visit to Russia on 8 and 9 July.
The clashes on the field continue
The Ukrainian military recently confirmed the withdrawal of troops from a neighborhood of Chasiv Yar, In the province of Donetsk, whose conquest had been claimed by Moscow the previous day. Nazar Voloshin, spokesman for the Khortitsia Special Operations Command, explained that troops had retreated to safer positions due to the Russian advance. The neighborhood is strategic because from an elevated position Russian troops could target Kramatorsk, an important mining city controlled by Ukraine in that area of the front.
Meanwhile, in the Zaporizhzhia region, two people died and one was injured following attacks by Russian forces. During the day, 391 attacks were recorded against 10 settlements in the region.
In the night, the suburbs of Kiev was rocked by explosions caused by a Russian drone launch. Ukrainian air defenses repelled the attack, destroying all the drones before they could reach the capital. No casualties or damage were reported, thanks to the intervention of the defense forces.
