Israel Rejects Global Call for Gaza Ceasefire: โWrong Message to Hamasโ
Jerusalem pushes back against joint statement by 25 nations and EU commissioner
Israelโs Foreign Ministry firmly dismissed a joint declaration made on Monday by 25 countries and an EU official urging an immediate end to the conflict in Gaza, calling it disconnected from the facts on the ground and counterproductive to peace efforts.
โThe statement sends the wrong message to Hamas,โ said the Foreign Ministry, emphasizing that the terror group bears full responsibility for the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis. โHamas ignited this war and continues to obstruct any ceasefire or hostage release.โ
The international statementโtitled โOccupied Palestinian Territories: Joint Statement, 21 July 2025โโwas backed by nations including Austria, Canada, Japan, Italy, Australia, Ireland, Belgium, and others, along with E.U. Commissioner Hadja Lahbib. It sharply criticized Israelโs current aid delivery system to Gaza, alleging it deepens instability and denies basic human dignity.
The criticism centered on the model implemented by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a joint U.S.-Israeli initiative launched in February to deliver aid directly to Gazan civilians, bypassing Hamas. Israel and the U.S. have stated this was necessary due to Hamasโs exploitation of humanitarian aidโseizing and reselling supplies for profit.
A confidential U.S. diplomatic cable dated June 30 reported that Hamas had even placed bounties on American and Palestinian GHF staff, endangering lives at aid distribution points.
โHamas is deliberately increasing tensions at these sites and endangering civilians to stir international condemnation,โ the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in response to the global statement.
While the joint declaration vowed to pursue diplomatic avenues and even hinted at further international actions to force a ceasefire, Israel warned that such statements risk undermining delicate hostage negotiations currently underway.
โAt a critical moment in ongoing talks, such declarations misplace blame and risk derailing progress,โ the ministry said. โPressure should be placed where it belongsโon Hamas.โ
Stolen Tractor Recovered in Gaza Nearly Two Years After Oct. 7 Massacre
IDF returns equipment taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza in 2023 terror assault.
Nearly two years after Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, the Israel Defense Forces located and retrieved a stolen tractor from Gaza. The vehicle, originally taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the brutal cross-border attack, was found over the weekend in Beit Hanoun, northeastern Gaza.
Channel 14 News reported the discovery on Monday, with footage showing Israeli soldiers preparing to return the agricultural equipment to its rightful place in the Gaza border region.
โThis is more than a tractorโitโs a piece of our communityโs resilience,โ said a soldier in a video obtained by the network. โWeโre bringing it back where it belongs.โ
Kfar Aza, located just a few miles from the Gaza border, was one of the hardest-hit communities during the October 7 assault. Sixty-two residents were killed, and 19 were abducted. Some remain in captivity nearly 22 months later.
The operation took place amid ongoing IDF activity in Gaza under the umbrella of “Operation Gideonโs Chariots,” which aims to eliminate Hamasโs military infrastructure, secure strategic locations, and free the remaining hostages.
During a visit to Gaza on Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir praised the troops’ dedication: โThis is a just war, and your achievements will reshape Israelโs security for the future.โ Zamir emphasized that ongoing progress in the operation is bringing Hamas closer to collapse and may create momentum for a new hostage deal.
Man Indicted for Burning NYPD Cars Amid Anti-Israel Unrest
Federal charges brought against Brooklyn protester over arson attack on police vehicles.
A 21-year-old man from Brooklyn has been indicted on federal arson charges after allegedly setting fire to 10 New York Police Department vehicles last month. The attack occurred in the Bushwick neighborhood and has been tied to escalating anti-Israel demonstrations across the city.
According to prosecutors, Jakhi McCray was caught on surveillance footage entering an NYPD parking lot on June 12, where he spent roughly 30 minutes igniting vehicles and a trailer. Police later discovered a cigar lighter and sunglasses at the scene, both bearing McCrayโs fingerprints. Authorities also uncovered more than 30 fire starters hidden under undamaged vehicles nearby.
โThe deliberate targeting of law enforcement vehicles was not only criminalโit was cowardly,โ said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. โInstead of sending a message, this individual galvanized the efforts of NYPD, ATF, and FDNY to track him down.โ
McCray, reportedly a repeat protester since the October 7 Hamas attacks, is also being investigated for defacing a statue at Columbia University. The arson occurred just days before a large-scale โGlobal March to Gazaโ demonstration in New York.
In a statement, McCray decried his indictment as political repression: โIโve been arrested 12 times, and now the government has labeled me โarmed and dangerous,โ offering a $30,000 reward for my capture. This is part of a smear campaign against the anti-Zionist movement.โ
If convicted, McCray faces between five and 20 years in federal prison.
