Mookie Betts slump update: Dodgers star amid struggles, 'It’s up to God at this point'

Mookie Betts slump update: Dodgers star amid struggles, 'It's up to God at this point'

As theLos Angeles Dodgerslook to repeat as World Series Champions, the historic franchise will need its star-studded roster to rise to the occasion again this season. Among those stars isMookie Betts, who has accomplished just about everything the sport of baseball has to offer. The latest hurdle in his career is his season-long slump. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had briefly benched Betts before moving him to the leadoff spot in the lineup on July 20. Roberts tried switching Betts and Shohei into the first two spots for 11 games, hoping it would create a spark for Betts. "I've done everything possible," Betts told reporters on Sunday in Tampa. "It's just kind of the same result. I'm out of answers. I've done everything I can do. It's up to God at this point." The manager decided to move Betts back to second in the batting order on Sunday with Ohtani now back to leadoff in the lineup. He would go 0-for-3 and is now 0-for-16 over the last four games. Betts has a .233 batting average this season with 93 hits, 11 home runs and 48 runs batted in. He has a career-low .664 OPS this season. Betts has averaged 142 hits, 94 runs, 24 home runs, and 73 RBI throughout his career. He also has a .290 career batting average and a .881 career OPS. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently moved Betts from the leadoff spot to second in the lineup with the hope that it can help make a difference. "I thought yesterday in a vacuum that he had a good offensive day," Roberts told reporters before Sunday's game. "I really did. I thought he had good at-bats. … Other days it looks like he is lost." Roberts did not completely shy away from the possibility of still moving Betts around in the lineup, but a lot of it may depend on what he sees from Betts going forward and what the rest of the roster looks like in terms of health. Max Muncy is expected to return to the Dodgers' lineup soon and has been playing for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets this past weekend. There is a possibility that Betts could continue to shift around in the lineup after Muncy returns. On Betts, Roberts expressed his desire to "instill my faith in him and confidence in him." "I know he is frustrated and obviously at a point now where he wants results, which I can appreciate, but hopefully he can build off the at-bats quality from yesterday," Roberts added. Betts continues to work closely with his hitting coaches to refine his mechanics at the plate, but the Dodgers manager believes that there may be a mental aspect contributing to the slump. Off the field, it has been just as tough a season for Betts. Before the start of the season, Betts was dealing with an undiagnosed illness that caused him to lose approximately 18 pounds in a two-week span and he was throwing up every time he had solid foods. He did undergo necessary blood work and vital tests, but everything came back normal. Betts recently spent a few days away from the Dodgers to be with his family, located in Nashville. "My stepdad passed, so I had to go home," Betts told reporters on July 27. "(He's) been there in my life from fourth grade until now, so that was tough for me and the family. "I just had to be there for my mom and my brothers and sisters. It's just a tough time and there's no real way to really explain something like that outside of just being there and spending time with the family." Betts and the Dodgers will play six games at home this week. The St. Louis Cardinals will start a three-game series with the Dodgers on Monday, Aug. 4 at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Toronto Blue Jays will visit Dodger Stadium for a three-game series starting Friday, Aug. 8. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Mookie Betts, Dodgers continue looking for answers to brutal slump

byMario Satorik

in

August 04, 2025

Mookie Betts slump update: Dodgers star amid struggles, 'It’s up to God at this point'

Mookie Betts slump update: Dodgers star amid struggles, 'It's up to God at this point' As theLos Angeles Dodgerslook to repeat a...

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Arch Manning expectations have Texas at No. 1 in preseason poll. Are we sure he is ready?

Arch Manning expectations have Texas at No. 1 in preseason poll. Are we sure he is ready?

If everything we know about Texas' starting quarterback was exactly the same except that his name was Art Janning instead of Arch Manning, theLonghornswould not bethe No. 1 teamin thepreseason US LBM Coaches Poll. No disrespect intended, of course. The Longhorns have established themselves as one of the nation's elite programs under Steve Sarkisian, a talent-accumulating factory that might already have a national championship if not for a shaky play call from the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter of last season's semifinal against Ohio State. But to believe the Longhorns are a deserving No. 1 – which is where a plurality of voters in the coaches' poll have them heading into 2025 – requires corresponding conviction that Manning is ready to live up to his family name and high school reputation. I just have one question about that: Are we sure? Pull the name off the jersey. Forget about the maturity, the presumed intangibles, the osmosis of a lifetime spent in proximity to two uncles who did some pretty good things on the football field. What do we really see? We see a player who has thrown a mere 95 passes in two seasons on campus, a player who didn't play a meaningful snap against a good team last season outside of some situation-specific quarterback run packages. We also see a quarterback who was apparently not a viable option for Sarkisian in the second half of last season, even when it was clear that starter Quinn Ewers was not 100 percent healthy and dragging down the potential of Texas' offense. Maybe it's not fair to read into that. Coaches are notoriously weird about quarterbacks, hypersensitive to locker room dynamics and public perception if they even acknowledge the possibility of a change. If Sarkisian's loyalty to Ewers wavered even an inch, it would have unleashed a cacophony of noise around the Texas program that might have been worse than watching his quarterback throw six interceptions over the final five games. That said, if Manning wasn't ready to give Texas a better chance to win a national title last year when the deck was stacked in the Longhorns' favor everywhere else on their roster, isn't it fair to be a little skeptical that he's going to be ready now? Most folks, it seems, are not skeptical. Manning begins the 2025 season as the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at some prominent sports books. Texas was the far-and-away choice among SEC media members to win the league in their preseason poll, with Manning being named to the all-conference third team. And in perhaps the most outrageous bout of Arch Madness we've seen yet, ESPN/SEC Network commentator Paul Finebaum predicted he would be "the best college quarterback we have seen since Tim Tebow entered the scene in 2006." Mind you, since Tebow's Heisman run in 2007, we've seen Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels come through college football. If Manning is even in the top half of that group, then yes, Texas will probably be this year's national champion. But can't we just slow down a little bit given, you know, the lack of on-field evidence that Manning deserves this level of expectation? A year ago, Manning in fact did get his chance to start for Texas when Ewers strained his oblique muscle in the middle of their third game against Texas-San Antonio. Manning remained at the controls for the next two home games against Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State and was largely good. Not transcendently great, but good. Then Ewers return from injury, and that was pretty much Manning's season for all intents and purposes. Two full games and a little more than half of a third, all against bad opponents. And that was with the best and most experienced offensive line in college football protecting him. It's not a critique of Manning whatsoever to say we didn't learn much about what he's capable of. Sarkisian talks about Manning in far more measured tones. He understands what the two-year buildup of hype has created and the potential for narratives to turn quickly if his quarterback plays poorly in the opener against No. 2 Ohio State. He also knows that turning over four starters on the offensive line is a wildcard that will probably make things incrementally more challenging for his inexperienced quarterback. "He's a great guy. He's a great teammate," Sarkisian said last month at SEC Media Days. "He's got an unbelievable work ethic. And I think, if he stays true to himself, that's going to help him navigate these waters as they present themselves. We've got to do a great job of supporting him around him, as coaches, as players, and ultimately, I think he's prepared for the moment. But now it's just time for him to go do it and enjoy doing it quite frankly." Notice that's quite a bit different than how Sarkisian spoke the same day about "the deepest and most talented defense that we've had" or the receiving corps that "we're really excited about." Maybe that's just Sarkisian intentionally lowering the temperature, with the full understanding that his fan base has been frothing to watch Manning finally take his place in Texas history. Or maybe there's a tiny part of him that's skeptical his quarterback can live up to the trail of hosannas laid in front of him based more on name and reputation than on-field accomplishment. One way or another, after more than half a decade of hearing about the next-in-line to the Manning quarterback dynasty, we won't have to wait long for an answer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Arch Manning, Texas top preseason poll Top 25 with huge expectations

byMario Satorik

in

August 04, 2025

Arch Manning expectations have Texas at No. 1 in preseason poll. Are we sure he is ready?

Arch Manning expectations have Texas at No. 1 in preseason poll. Are we sure he is ready? If everything we know about Texas' starting qu...

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August recess can't hide tensions ahead for Congress on spending and Trump nominations

August recess can't hide tensions ahead for Congress on spending and Trump nominations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have left Washington for the annual August recess, but a few weeks of relative quiet on the U.S. Capitol grounds can't mask the partisan tensions that are brewing on government funding and PresidentDonald Trump'snominees. It could make for a momentous September. Here's a look at what's ahead when lawmakers return following theLabor Dayholiday. A bitter spending battle ahead Lawmakers will use much of September to work on spending bills for the coming budget year, which begins Oct. 1. They likely will need to pass a short-term spending measure to keep the government funded for a few weeks while they work on a longer-term measure that covers the full year. It's not unusual for leaders from both parties to blame the other party for a potential shutdown, but the rhetoric began extraearly this year, signaling the threat of a stoppage is more serious than usual. On Monday, Senate Democratic leaderChuck Schumerand House Democratic leaderHakeem Jeffriessent their Republican counterparts a sharply-worded letter calling for a meeting to discuss "the government funding deadline and the health care crisis you have visited upon the American people." They said it will take bipartisanship to avert a "painful, unnecessary shutdown." "Yet it is clear that the Trump Administration and many in your party are preparing to go it alone and continue to legislate on a solely Republican basis," said the letter sent to Senate Majority LeaderJohn Thuneand House SpeakerMike Johnson. Republicans have taken note of the warnings and are portraying the Democrats as itching for a shutdown they hope to blame on the GOP. "It was disturbing to hear the Democrat leader threaten to shut down the government in his July 8 Dear Colleague letter," Thune said on Saturday. "... I really hope that Democrats will not embrace that position but will continue to work with Republicans to fund the government." Different approaches from the House and Senate So far, the House has approved two of the 12 annual spending bills, mostly along party lines. The Senate has passed three on a strongly bipartisan basis. The House is pursuing steep, non-defense spending cuts. The Senate is rejecting many of those cuts. One side will have to give. And any final bill will need some Democratic support to generate the 60 votes necessary to get a spending measure to the finish line. Some Democratic senators are also wanting assurances from Republicans that there won't be more efforts in the coming weeks toclaw backor cancel funding already approved by Congress. "If Republicans want to make a deal, then let's make a deal, but only if Republicans include an agreement they won't take back that deal a few weeks later," said Sen.Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., a veteran member of the House Appropriations committee, said the Democratic minority in both chambers has suffered so many legislative losses this year, "that they are stuck between a rock and their voting base." Democrats may want to demonstrate more resistance toDonald Trump, but they would rue a shutdown, he warned. "The reality would be, if the government were shut down, the administration, Donald Trump, would have the ability to decide where to spend and not spend," Fleischmann said. "Schumer knows that, Jeffries knows that. We know that. I think it would be much more productive if we start talking about a short-term (continuing resolution.)" Republican angry about pace of nominations Republicans are considering changes to Senate rules to get more of Trump's nominees confirmed. Thune said last week that during the same point inJoe Biden'spresidency, 49 of his 121 civilians nominees had been confirmed on an expedited basis through a voice vote or a unanimous consent request. Trump has had none of his civilian nominees confirmed on an expedited basis. Democrats have insisted on roll call votes for all of them, a lengthy process than can take days. "I think they're desperately in need of change," Thune said of Senate rules for considering nominees. "I think that the last six months have demonstrated that this process, nominations is broken. And so I expect there will be some good robust conversations about that." Chuck Schumersaid a rules change would be a "huge mistake," especially as Senate Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass spending bills and other legislation moving forward. The Senate held a rare weekend session as Republicans worked to get more of Trump's nominees confirmed. Negotiations focused on advancing dozens of additional Trump nominees in exchange for some concessions on releasing some already approved spending. At times, lawmakers spoke of progress on a potential deal. But it was clear that there would be no agreement when TrumpattackedSchumer on social media Saturday evening and told Republicans to pack it up and go home. "Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL!" Trump posted on Truth Social. __ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

byMario Satorik

in

August 04, 2025

August recess can't hide tensions ahead for Congress on spending and Trump nominations

August recess can't hide tensions ahead for Congress on spending and Trump nominations WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have left Washington ...

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‘Half-innocent:’ Trump weighs in on Diddy pardon. What other celebrities did he pardon?

'Half-innocent:' Trump weighs in on Diddy pardon. What other celebrities did he pardon?

PresidentDonald Trumphas given more insight into what is weighing in on his decision on whether or not to pardonSean "Diddy" Combs. Inan interview that aired Aug. 1 on Newsmaxwith host Rob Finnerty, Trump discussed the possibility of presidential pardons for Combs, convicted sex traffickerGhislaine Maxwelland former Rep.George Santos. "Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Would you consider pardoning him?" Finnerty asked. Trump didn't answer directly but said that negative comments that Combs made about him would make it "more difficult." "Well he was essentially, I guess sort of, half-innocent. I don't know what they do, he's still in jail or something," Trump said of Combs. "He was celebrating a victory but I guess it wasn't as good of a victory." Questions about a pardon started swirling even before jurors found Combs not guilty of the most serious charges ofracketeeringand sex trafficking in asweeping trial that nearly lasted two months. But the former music mogul wasconvicted on two countsof the lesser charge of transportation to engage in prostitution. Plus, Trump has a history of pardoning celebrities. Here is what to know: More:She's inmate No. 02879-509 in Florida. But once again, Ghislaine Maxwell is holding court Trump has a history of pardoning celebrities, including: Todd and Julie Chrisley- Sentenced for bank fraud charges, pardoned in May 2025. RapperNBA YoungBoy(Legal name: Kentrell Gaulden) - Sentenced for federal gun charges, pardoned in May 2025. ActorJay Johnstonwas sentenced for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.Trump granted clemencyto more than 1,500 people who were charged in the riot upon returning to office. Lil Wayne(Legal name: Dwayne Michael Carter) - Sentenced for gun possession charges, pardoned in January 2021. Kodak Black(Legal name: Bill Kapri) - Sentenced for making false statements regarding attempting to acquire a firearm. His sentence was commuted, or reduced, in January 2021. In the Newsmax interview, Finnerty asked if Trump would consider pardoning Combs after asking if he would consider pardoningJeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Trump mused on the outcome of Combs' trial and then said "probably ..." before pausing and revealing to Finnerty, "You know, I was very friendly with him, I got along with him great, seemed like a nice guy. I didn't know him well, but when I ran for office he was very hostile." The Newsmax host noted then that "he said some not so nice things about you, sir." "Yeah, and it's hard. You know, like you, we're human beings and we don't like to have things cloud our judgment, right?" Trump said. "But when you knew someone and you were fine and then you run for office and he made some terrible statements … so I don't know ... it makes it more difficult to do." He then agreed with the host that it was more likely a "no." In the interview, Trump was seemingly referencing Combs'expletive-filled 2017 comments in The Daily Beast, essentially saying that "(Black people) don't really" care about Trump. "The tomfoolery that's going on in D.C., that's just regular everyday business to Black folks," Combstold the left-leaning outlet in-part, adding later in the interview that he had to "keep it focused on that self-love that we need to give our race." Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump calls 'Diddy' 'half-innocent.' What celebrities has he pardoned?

byMario Satorik

in

August 04, 2025

‘Half-innocent:’ Trump weighs in on Diddy pardon. What other celebrities did he pardon?

'Half-innocent:' Trump weighs in on Diddy pardon. What other celebrities did he pardon? PresidentDonald Trumphas given more insight ...

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Jerry Jones doesn't seem too worried about getting Micah Parsons' deal done right away

Jerry Jones doesn't seem too worried about getting Micah Parsons' deal done right away

Emmitt Smith's contract holdout was more than three decades ago, but it's still memorable. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hasn't forgotten about it. In 1993 Smith was coming off his second straight rushing title and held out, wanting a new contract. The holdout lasted two games into the regular season, and the Cowboys started 0-2. The two sides then came to an agreement on a deal that made Smith the highest paid running back in NFL history (four years and $13.6 million ... contracts have gone up a bit). Smith ended up winning NFL MVP and the Cowboys won a Super Bowl. Jones remembers that holdout and others in which the Cowboys waited it out, which indicates he isn't going to panic about theMicah Parsons situation. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] "It took a long time with Emmitt Smith," Jonestold Jarrett Bell of USA Today."Same thing with [Zack] Martin two years ago. [CeeDee] Lamb last year." It's a theme for the Cowboys. Parsons requested a trade, but Jones probably isn't going to speed up negotiations that much. The tone of the pace of negotiations was summed up by a Jones quote over the weekend, after the trade request, in which he advised Cowboys fans:"Don't lose any sleep over it." Jones is a shrewd businessman and it seems that while the rest of the NFL world and especially Dallas is worried about what happens next with Parsons, the Cowboys owner seems like he's enjoying the standoff. "This is a negotiation," Jones said,via the team's site. "Does it blow me up? Somebody to say, 'Look, trade me.' That's just not a flare sign for me at all in any way." [Get more Cowboys news: Dallas team feed] Jones has reasons to not worry too much. Parsons can request a trade all he wants but that doesn't force the Cowboys into dealing him. Parsons has a year left on his rookie deal and Jones referenced in his interview with USA Today the two franchise tags the team used on DeMarcus Lawrence and Dak Prescott before signing them to long-term deals. Theoretically, if the Cowboys wanted to dig in, they could use back-to-back franchise tags on Parsons, too, and drag it out until after the 2027 season. Parsons' leverage is that the Cowboys would be at a significant competitive disadvantage if he sat out games during his holdout. Jones doesn't seem too worried though. Generally, the Cowboys have gotten deals done. They did with Smith; they got a long-term deal with Dez Bryant done right at the deadline for extending franchise-tagged players; Prescott and Lawrence got long-term deals after franchise tags; Martin and Lamb got their contracts too after some August drama. People can criticize Jones for waiting, and often paying more, but it's not changing. Jones has argued that doing a deal early has its drawbacks too, and he keeps doubling-down on that approach. "Let me say this just right," Jones told USA Today. "I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't do it that way. I should be trying to get the most value for the Cowboys. I've seen players I wish we had renegotiated their contracts earlier and I've had several that I was sorry I renegotiated their contract earlier. The idea that if you wait there's more money (spent) forgets that in between that wait, you get to evaluate and you frankly get to see if you're dealing with the same physical elements of it." So everyone is in a holding pattern. There's more than a month before the Cowboys' first regular-season game. The Cowboys don't seem inclined to entertain trade calls for Parsons. He will continue to hold out as he looks for a deal that will likely make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. And Jones will keep waiting. He has made that clear.

byMario Satorik

in

August 04, 2025

Jerry Jones doesn't seem too worried about getting Micah Parsons' deal done right away

Jerry Jones doesn't seem too worried about getting Micah Parsons' deal done right away Emmitt Smith's contract holdout was more ...

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Big Dumper's big year: Cal Raleigh's 'staggering' season leads an offensive surge by MLB catchers

Big Dumper's big year: Cal Raleigh's 'staggering' season leads an offensive surge by MLB catchers

Seattle's Cal Raleigh — better known by the catchy nickname "Big Dumper" — has lived up to the moniker,dropping baseball into the outfield seatsall over the big leagues this season. Manager Dan Wilson has been in awe of his talents. "That's what you get from Cal," Wilson said. "Night in, night out, blocking balls, calling the game, leading a pitching staff, throwing runners out — that's what Cal does and he does it very well." Oh ... wait a second. Wilson obviously wasn't taking about Raleigh's prodigious power — he's talking about how the 28-year-old handles the most demanding defensive position on the baseball field: Catcher. Raleigh has smashed 42 homers this season, putting him on pace for 60, with a chance to catch Aaron Judge's American League record of 62. That would be fun to watch under any circumstance. The fact that the All-Starand Home Run Derby championis also responsible for guiding the Mariners' pitching staff on most nights makes it even more impressive. Seattle is currently in the thick of the American League playoff race with a 60-53 record, and the Mariners are relying on Raleigh's bat and his brain to try and make the playoffs for just the third time since 2001. There's the mental side of the job — meetings, film study, calling pitches — but there's also the wear and tear of the physical side. The 2024 Gold Glove winner is also squatting, handling the run game, taking painful foul tips off all parts of his body, putting his 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame through the ringer four or five nights a week. All while hitting those homers. Catching is demanding and can wear on power hitters The fact that it took Raleigh a few years in the big leagues to emerge as a true superstar — this is his fourth full season with the Mariners — isn't surprising. The learning curve for young catchers can be severe and the defensive part of the job takes precedence. There's a long list of backstops who couldn't hit a lick yet carved out long MLB careers. Raleigh is a man of many talents and his power was always evident. He hit 27 homers in 2022, 30 in 2023 and 34 last season. Now he's on pace for 50 long balls and maybe more. There are only five other players in big league history who have hit at least 40 homers while primarily playing catcher: Salvador Perez, Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers. It's evidence of a player at the top of his game — and one who has come through plenty of experience. "I don't think I'm trying any harder or doing any more than I have in the past," Raleigh said. "Maybe a little more focused on the right things, and not constantly trying to tweak or change something that I have been in the past. So, I think that's been the biggest part to the success, and just trying to keep that consistent and steady." Wilson was more direct, putting into perspective what Raleigh has accomplished through the first four months of the season. "It's pretty staggering," Wilson said. Raleigh's big numbers are part of an offensive surge for MLB catchers: Will Smith, Hunter Goodman, Logan O'Hoppe, Shea Langeliers, Alejandro Kirk, Salvador Perez and William Contreras are among roughly a dozen at the position who are more than holding their own at the plate. Veteran catcher Carson Kelly is on pace to have his best offensive season in the big leagues at 31, batting .272 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs for the Chicago Cubs. He's been in the big leagues for 10 years and said the balance between offense and defense is tough for young players. "It's almost like you're drinking from a firehose with how much information you have," Kelly said. "And I think, as you see catchers, as the years go on, you get smarter. "You get smarter in your routines. and you're able to focus on the little details," he continued. "When you get called up as a young guy, there's so much going on. And as the years go by and as the days go by, you get more comfortable. 'OK, I know this, I know that, how do I really funnel this down into a couple points?' "I think that's, you know, when you see catchers kind of take off." Some adjustments are helping catchers stay fresh One major factor for the increased offensive production for catchers could be the one-knee down defensive stance that's been adopted by nearly every MLB catcher over the past five years. The argument for the stance is its helpful for defensive reasons, including framing pitches on the corners. But there's also the added benefit that it's a little easier on the knees than squatting a couple hundred times per game. "A hundred percent," said Goodman, the Rockies primary catcher who is hitting .279 with 20 homers. "You think about back in the day when everybody was squatting … being in a squat for that long can be can be hard on your legs. Getting on a knee gives your legs a little bit of rest for sure." Statistical trends suggest he has a point. Catchers have accounted for 12.2% of all MLB homers this season, making a slow climb from 10% in 2018. Raleigh's been the best of the bunch and fans — along with his catching peers — are noticing. "It just seems like on both sides of the ball, when he's behind the plate he's really focused on his pitchers and calling a good game and all the things that a catching position entails, and then when he comes up to the plate, he can do damage," Kelly said. ___ AP Baseball Writers Mike Fitzpatrick and Jay Cohen, along with AP freelancer Jack Magruder, contributed to this story. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/MLB

byMario Satorik

in

August 04, 2025

Big Dumper's big year: Cal Raleigh's 'staggering' season leads an offensive surge by MLB catchers

Big Dumper's big year: Cal Raleigh's 'staggering' season leads an offensive surge by MLB catchers Seattle's Cal Raleigh ...

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Trump pushing an 'all or nothing' Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, special envoy says

Trump pushing an 'all or nothing' Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, special envoy says

PresidentDonald Trumpis pushing a comprehensive "all or nothing"ceasefirebetweenIsraelandHamasthat would see the end of hostilities and all the hostages returned, his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, told hostage families over the weekend. "No piecemeal deals. That doesn't work,"Witkoffcould be heard saying in audio leaked to the Israeli news website Ynet. NBC News was not able to independently verify the audio, but two people who were in the room corroborated the comments. "Now, we think that we have to shift this negotiation to all or nothing. Everybody comes home," Witkoff says later in the recording of the meeting with hostage families, which was also reported on byThe New York Times. Daniel Lifshitz said Witkoff had said the U.S. was looking to "shift from partial deal to a full-scale deal," but did not expand on exactly how that would happen. "He spoke about shifting because there is nothing else to do now," Lifshitz told NBC News on Monday. He said Witkoff spoke with hostage families for nearly three hours. A second person in the meeting also confirmed the audio recording. The Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Witkoff's meeting with hostage families. Daniel Lifshitz's grandparents Oded and Yocheved Lifshitz were among the around 250 people taken hostage in the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Yocheved Liftshitz, 86, a peace activist, wasreleased by Hamas later in October 2023. Oded Liftshitz'sbody was returned to his family earlier this yearas part of the ceasefire, which lasted two months before Israeli forces resumed their campaign in Gaza in March. He was 84. Images released by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, appearing to show visibly gaunt Israeli hostagesEvyatar DavidandRom Braslavski, have also sparked alarm among hostage families about the conditions of their loved ones. Details of Witkoff's meeting with dozens of hostage families emerged as Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahusaid he would convene his security Cabinet to "instruct" the Israeli military on how to achieve the war's aims. More than60,800 people have been killedsince the war began, with hundreds killed over the span of days, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Netanyahu and Witkoff have said repeatedly that Hamas is not interested in agreeing to a truce. Hamas says it does want an agreement but continues to call for a Palestinian state with a capital in east Jerusalem, which is among a handful of concessions Israel says it cannot make. Over the weekend, far-right Israeli National Security MinisterItamar Ben-Gvircalled for Israel to "conquer the entire Gaza Strip" and encourage "voluntary migration" from the territory. He made the comments in a videostatementpublished to his X account, repeating similar calls he has made in recent months. During his visit to Israel, Witkoff made abrief and rare stop in Gazaamid growing starvation in the enclave and rising numbers of deaths from malnutrition. Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, escorted by the Israeli military, stopped at an aid distribution site in southern Gaza run by the U.S. and Israel-backedGaza Humanitarian Foundation. Hundreds of desperate aid-seekers have been killed, largely by Israeli forces, trying to access GHF's aid sites, according to witnesses, doctors and officials in Gaza. "It was a PR stunt, a controlled visit supervised and dictated by the Israeli military," Ellie Burgos, an American critical care nurse volunteering at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis,said of Witkoff and Huckabee's visit. "What they saw was not the reality." Nearly 170 people in Gaza — more than 90 of them children — have died from malnutrition since the war began, according to the Palestinian health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave. The world's leading body on hunger, theIntegrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC,warned last weekthat the "worst-case scenario of famine" was playing out in Gaza under Israel's military offensive and aid restrictions. Over the weekend, the World Health Organization led condemnation of an Israeli attack on thePalestine Red Crescent Society'sheadquarters inGazathat killed a staff member and injured several other people. Thesociety,which provides emergency medical services in the besieged enclave, said in a statement that artillery struck the upper floors of its building in the southern city ofKhan Younisearly on Sunday. The building was clearly marked with its emblem, it said. The PRCS says at least 51 staff members and volunteers have been killed since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in which some 1,200 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage.

byMario Satorik

in

August 04, 2025

Trump pushing an 'all or nothing' Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, special envoy says

Trump pushing an 'all or nothing' Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, special envoy says PresidentDonald Trumpis pushing a comprehensive ...

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