Palestinians pin hopes on US peace plan to end displacement, suffering

Displaced Palestinians sheltering across southern and central Gaza are pinning their hopes on a U.S.-proposed peace plan, after Hamas agreed to release Israeli hostages and hand over Gaza's administration.

The moves are seen as potential steps toward ending Israeli strikes and restoring stability across the devastated enclave.

Hamas announced on Friday that it has submitted its response to U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza peace proposal to regional and international mediators, saying it has agreed in principle to release all Israeli hostages, both living and deceased.

"We want the river of blood and death to stop, and for life to gradually return to normal. We don't feel safe enough to leave even our tent. We want security and stability so our children can go back to school and life can return to normal," said Abdel Kareem Al-Dayya.

"Ending the war, no matter the cost, is in itself salvation from the massacre being carried out against the Palestinian people, from the starvation war imposed by the occupation, and from the repeated waves of displacement," said Alaa Abdel Baqi.

"We are extremely exhausted. We endured hunger and thirst, and even the food aid distributed wasn't enough for everyone. Our tents are worn out, and winter is coming. We truly hope this solution succeeds so we can finally find proper shelter," said Um Rami Al-Shawish.

"Only God know how much we've suffered in this war. Our homes were destroyed and our children were killed. But thank God, we were surprised to hear that a ceasefire agreement had been reached. People were overjoyed, eager to return home, even if their homes are in ruins," said Abu Abdullah.

In a press statement on Friday, Hamas agreed to transfer the administration of Gaza to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats, formed through national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic countries.

According to the statement, other issues raised in the U.S. proposal concerning Gaza's future and the broader rights of the Palestinian people would be addressed within a collective Palestinian framework, in line with relevant international laws and resolutions.

Hamas also stated that the release of all Israeli hostages will be based on the exchange framework outlined in Trump's proposal and expressed its readiness to begin immediate negotiations through mediators to discuss the implementation details.

The group said it values Arab, Islamic, international, and U.S. efforts aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, allowing the entry of humanitarian aid, preventing the displacement of Palestinians, and rejecting the reoccupation of the enclave.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sept 29 they have agreed to a 20-point plan proposed by Washington to end the conflict in Gaza.

The U.S.-proposed plan combines a ceasefire-for-hostages deal, phased Israeli withdrawal, and international oversight on Gaza's reconstruction and governance after the end of the conflict.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has surpassed 67,000, Gaza's health authorities said on Saturday.

Palestinians pin hopes on US peace plan to end displacement, suffering

Palestinians pin hopes on US peace plan to end displacement, suffering

Palestinians pin hopes on US peace plan to end displacement, suffering

Palestinians pin hopes on US peace plan to end displacement, suffering

Palestinians pin hopes on US peace plan to end displacement, suffering

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China signals a policy shift towards building a more pragmatic relationship between the two countries, according to a Canadian researcher.

Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin an official visit to China through Saturday, which marks the first trip by a Canadian Prime Minister to the country in eight years.

Robert Hanlon, director and principal investigator of Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project (CAPPP) at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that Carney's visit indicates Canada is recalibrating its strategic perception of China, which could cement the foundation for the country's economic diversification efforts and boost the development of bilateral cooperation.

"I think it's a clear message that he has moved Canada's strategy to a much more pragmatic, interest-based, -focused relationship with our trading partners, moving away from values-based narratives that we might have heard on previous governments. Canada has spoken about moving from what the Prime Minister's Office is calling "from reliance to resilience", and that means diversifying our economies and our trade everywhere in the world. And so China being our second largest trading partner, it makes perfect sense for our PM to head to Beijing," he said.

The scholar also noted the huge cooperation potential between the two sides in economic and trade fields, citing Canada's efforts to step up shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the planned construction of an oil pipeline in Alberta which aims to increase export access to Asian markets. "Canada and China both share tremendous economic opportunities together and so finding ways to enhance our exports. Canada specifically looking to build out its LNG and oil, kind of export market. We know Canada is a major producer of critical minerals and China is a buyer. And so there's a lot of synergy between that kind of those kind of markets," he said.

Canadian PM's visit to China paves way for more pragmatic trade ties: scholar