Trump demands compensation from Iran as talks on Strait of Hormuz continue

Following a US-brokered agreement announced on July 30 for Hamas disarmament, Israeli strikes in Gaza intensified, killing dozens of Palestinians. Hamas stated it would not implement the deal without Israel halting attacks and withdrawing troops, while Israel insisted on full disarmament before withdrawal. Within days of the announcement, at least 19 Palestinians were killed in a single day, and the weekend death toll reached 26. These attacks occurred in residential buildings and on tents sheltering displaced people, resulting in civilian casualties, including families and children. A strike also destroyed a medicine warehouse attached to Al-Aqsa Hospital. July was the deadliest month in Gaza this year, with 152 killed. In the occupied West Bank, July was also the deadliest month for Palestinians in settler attacks since October 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel rejects a 15-point Gaza proposal from the Board of Peace. He stated that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is "genuinely disarmed" of all its weapons. While Israel is discussing Hamas disarmament with the United States, Netanyahu emphasized that any agreement must involve the complete surrender of Hamas's arsenal. Hamas, however, remains committed to a roadmap agreed upon with mediators and expects the US and mediators to pressure Israel to adhere to it. Netanyahu also reiterated his opposition to a Palestinian state in Gaza or the West Bank.

Overnight Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least eight people, hitting residential buildings in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Deir el-Balah, according to Palestinian officials. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they were targeting military operatives, reporting the deaths of two Hamas militants, including commanders from elite forces. These strikes occurred on the second consecutive night and followed Hamas's acceptance of a disarmament plan involving the handover of weapons to a US President's Board of Peace. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen indicated no deal was in place to halt attacks and suggested Israel might need full control of Gaza if Hamas did not disarm, despite the Board of Peace plan for Israeli withdrawal.

US President Donald Trump has demanded compensation from Iran for alleged damages over the past 50 years, framing it as a response to Tehran's condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has stated it will only reopen the strait, through which a significant portion of global oil flows, if Washington agrees to pay war reparations and end sanctions. Trump claims the compensation would cover deaths among US forces and Iranian civilians, citing figures of 52,000 killed in Iran in the past four months, though other reports offer different numbers. Talks between Iran and Oman regarding the strait are ongoing, but Trump's demands could complicate efforts to reopen the maritime passage. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively blocked since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran in February, impacting oil prices and inflation.

President Trump has demanded that Iran pay compensation for the deaths of thousands of US soldiers and Iranian civilians over recent decades. This demand, made via Truth Social, is seen as a sign that negotiations to end conflicts and reopen the Strait of Hormuz have stalled. Trump stated this is in response to Iranian negotiators making similar claims for damages from the recent five-month war. The demands are likely to provoke anger in Tehran and are considered a nonstarter by Iranian leaders. This comes as Israel has rejected Trump's 15-point roadmap to end the war in Gaza, with Prime Minister Netanyahu stating Israel prioritizes its security. Trump also expanded his demands to include compensation for damages and deaths caused in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza.

A Board of Peace official, Nikolay Mladenov, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss a new disarmament deal with Hamas. The agreement, announced by President Donald Trump, aims for the complete decommissioning of weapons in Gaza and a transition to civilian governance. Mladenov also urged Netanyahu to halt Israeli strikes in Gaza, as the Board of Peace pushes for the implementation of the disarmament plan. Israel had previously expressed "serious security concerns" regarding the agreement and had increased strikes in Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties. The article notes that no airstrikes were recorded in Gaza on the day of the meeting.

A mass funeral was held in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, for 112 victims, including 40 children, killed in a 2023 Israeli strike. Their remains were recovered more than two years later by Gaza's civil defense from a destroyed residential block in Gaza City. The recovery was delayed due to ongoing Israeli strikes, which have continued despite a ceasefire. The victims were among over 300 killed in the November 22, 2023, attack. Civil defense estimates that 157 people remain missing from that strike, and thousands of remains are believed to be buried under rubble across Gaza.

Thousands gathered in Gaza City on August 4, 2026, for a mass funeral of 112 Palestinians whose remains were recovered from rubble. The bodies belonged to members of the Abu Sharia and al-Hasayna families, killed in a November 22, 2023, Israeli attack in the Sabra neighborhood. Palestinian officials stated that the attack killed 308 members of these families, with approximately 157 still missing. The funeral highlighted the prolonged suffering of families waiting to bury loved ones and symbolized the scale of human losses during the conflict. Rescue efforts continue to recover bodies from destroyed homes, while many families still await news of missing relatives.

Palestinians held a mass funeral in Gaza City on Tuesday for 112 bodies recently recovered from the rubble of a 2023 Israeli airstrike. The strike, which occurred on November 22, 2023, flattened a residential block in the Sabra neighborhood, killing over 300 people. While about 40 bodies were recovered shortly after the attack, the majority remained buried. First responders recovered the 112 remains, including 40 children, over the weekend. A fragile ceasefire has allowed for the recovery of bodies from earlier in the war. Approximately 157 bodies are still unaccounted for from this particular strike.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his "Board of Peace" has reached an agreement for the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. According to Trump's statement on Truth Social, this agreement is a step towards Gaza being governed by a new Palestinian government that will collaborate with the Board of Peace. Following the phased disarmament, Israel is expected to withdraw from Gaza. Trump stated that an International Stabilization Force would then work with a new Palestinian police force. The article notes that Hamas has not officially commented, though Al Jazeera has obtained a copy of the document. Trump framed this disarmament as part of a ceasefire deal he brokered in October.

A new agreement for Gaza, announced by President Trump, aims to end the Israel-Hamas war through Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and the transition to a civilian governing body. The international Board of Peace, established by Trump, will oversee the implementation of this deal, which requires Hamas to surrender weapons and tunnels. This agreement follows months of difficult negotiations and aims to pave the way for reconstruction, estimated to cost $70 billion. Hamas has agreed to the disarmament, while Israel has not yet commented. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza will manage the region post-Hamas control, including establishing a new police force. Challenges remain, including Israeli suspicion of certain board members and Palestinian concerns about representation.

A new proposal suggests Hamas disarm in Gaza in exchange for Israel withdrawing from occupied territory. This plan faces significant obstacles due to the ongoing conflict, widespread destruction in Gaza, and deep distrust between the parties. For Palestinians, the situation is catastrophic, with widespread home destruction and high civilian casualties, leading some to believe Israel aims to force their displacement. Israelis, in turn, view Hamas as a persistent threat requiring complete disarmament following the October 7th attack. The plan's success is also contingent on political pressures in both Israel and the US, with upcoming elections influencing leaders' decisions. Hamas, facing internal and external pressures and significant losses, has reportedly agreed to disarm, though Israel has yet to comment.

The Gaza Board of Peace announced a new agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, with staged Israeli withdrawal from the territory. US President Donald Trump stated the deal would lead to lasting peace and security, with Gaza eventually governed by a new Palestinian government and overseen by an International Stabilization Force. Hamas confirmed its participation is contingent on Israel fulfilling its withdrawal obligations. The agreement outlines a 14-day schedule for an inventory of Hamas weapons, to be managed by a Palestinian National Committee and overseen by an international verification commission and stabilization force. Israel has not publicly commented on the proposal, and experts remain skeptical due to past unfulfilled agreements and ongoing Israeli military actions.

Donald Trump announced an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas in Gaza, presented as a step towards a new Palestinian government and Israeli security. However, neither Hamas nor Israel immediately confirmed the agreement, and sources close to the talks indicated uncertainty about its viability. An Israeli official stated that the proposed terms were unsatisfactory, as Israel demands complete disarmament and demilitarization as a precondition. Hamas leaders are reportedly discussing the plan with mediators, with a Hamas official indicating a "positive and good" response, though not confirming full disarmament. The proposed roadmap includes transferring authority to a US-backed Palestinian committee and eliminating militant infrastructure, based on reciprocal steps. The article notes that the reality on the ground in Gaza contrasts with this plan, with ongoing Israeli military operations.

President Donald Trump announced a deal for Hamas to disarm in Gaza and for Israeli forces to withdraw, though significant hurdles and long timelines remain. The White House statement comes nine months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, with negotiations previously stalled on Hamas's disarmament and Gaza's reconstruction. Trump's plan involves Hamas surrendering weapons and destroying tunnels, followed by Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of an international stabilization force with a new Palestinian police force. U.S. officials indicated that while the Gaza police force would transfer weapons within two weeks, the disarmament of Hamas militants and heavy weaponry would be a longer process, potentially taking 200-350 days. Israel has not yet commented, but has reportedly been consulted throughout the negotiations.

Palestinians in Gaza have reacted to the latest ceasefire deal with a sentiment of "enough is enough," expressing little hope that it will bring an end to the ongoing war. The article highlights the weariness and skepticism prevalent among the population in Gaza regarding the prospects of lasting peace. This sentiment suggests a deep-seated concern that previous attempts at de-escalation have failed to achieve their intended outcomes. The focus is on the reaction of the people in Gaza to the news of the ceasefire, indicating their lack of optimism about its effectiveness in resolving the conflict.