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Bono Calls for Hamas to Free Hostages, Israel to be ‘Released’ From Netanyahu During Award Acceptance Speech
Bono poses on the red carpet during arrivals for the screening of the documentary film “Bono: Stories of Surrender” presented as part of Special Screenings at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 16, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
U2 lead singer Bono urged the Hamas terrorist organization to release the remaining hostages abducted from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and “stop the war” with Israel during an acceptance speech at the annual Ivors Novello Awards ceremony on Thursday, held at Grosvenor House in London.
At the 70th year of the awards ceremony, which recognizes achievements in songwriting and screen composition, U2 became the first Irish songwriters to be inducted into The Ivors Fellowship Academy, which hosts the award ceremony and is the leading organization representing songwriters and composers. The band accepted the award from pop star Ed Sheeran.
Before performing an acoustic rendition of U2’s 1983 hit song “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” Bono pleaded for peace, while also criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership of the Israeli government. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” references the Bloody Sunday shootings in Derry, Ireland, in January 1972, where members of the British army opened fire on protesters and killed 14 unarmed demonstrators.
“I used to introduce this next song by explaining that it wasn’t a rebel song,” Bono, whose real name is Paul David Hewson, began by saying. “Believing in the possibilities of peace was then and is now a rebellious act, and some would say a ridiculous one. To believe peace was attainable between your country and ours, between our country and itself was a ridiculous idea that we’re pleased we hold on to very tightly right now. Peace creates possibilities in the most intractable situations. And Lord knows, there’s a few of them out there right now.”
“Hamas, release the hostages,” the Irish singer added. “Stop the war. Israel, be released from Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts. All of you protect our aid workers, they are the best of us.”
At a Las Vegas concert in October 2023 — one after the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7 in Israel – Bono offered his condolences and dedicated a song to the hundreds of music lovers who were murdered by Hamas-led terrorists at the Supernova music festival during the terror group’s deadly rampage across southern Israel.
“In the light of what’s happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence,” Bono told the audience at the U2 concert. “But our hearts and our anger, you know where that’s pointed. So, sing with us … and those beautiful kids at that music festival.”
The band then proceeded to perform “Pride (In the Name of Love).” Bono changed the track’s closing lyrics to “Early morning October 7, the sun is rising in the desert sky, Stars of David, they took your life, but they could not take your pride.”
“We sing for our brothers and sisters, who they themselves were singing at the Supernova Sukkot festival in Israel,” Bono further told the crowd at the concert. “We sing for those. Our people. Our kind of people. Music people, playful, experimental people. Our kind of people. We sing for them.”
U2 has performed in Israel only once before, in 1997 at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv. They were scheduled to perform in the Jewish state in 2011 but eventually canceled the show following pressure from the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. Bono visited Israel in 2012 and U2 dedicated a song to the late Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres during a 2015 concert in Canada.
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French Official Tells Paper Arab Countries Will Condemn Hamas, Trying to Get Palestinian Statehood Recognized
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks to the media on the day he attends the European Union Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium, July 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman
Arab countries will for the first time condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament early next week at a United Nations ministerial event in New York, a move meant to lure more European countries to recognize Palestinian statehood, France’s foreign minister said on Saturday.
In an exclusive interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot said the move was part of a long-planned initiative between France and Saudi Arabia.
“For the first time, Arab countries will condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament, which will seal its definitive isolation. European countries will in turn confirm their intention to recognize the State of Palestine. Half of European countries have done so, all others are considering it,” Barrot told the JDD.
“The British Prime Minister has stated his intention to do so. Germany is considering it at a later stage. We will launch an appeal in New York for other countries to join us in order to set in motion an even more ambitious and demanding process that will culminate on September 21,” Barrot added.
On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron announced France would formally recognize the state of Palestine at the U.N. General Assembly on September 21, drawing condemnation from the U.S. and Israel.
Earlier on Saturday Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni called it counterproductive to recognize a Palestinian state before it is established.
On Friday a German government spokesperson said there were no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.
At the upcoming United Nations event on Monday and Tuesday, France and Saudi Arabia plan to lay out a proposed post-war roadmap leading to a two-state solution covering security, reconstruction and governance, which will be compatible with the Abraham Accords negotiated by US President Trump, Barrot said.
The French minister added that in coming weeks the European Commission would take a tougher stance on Israel and demand a stop on building of any new settlement projects in the West Bank, and also an end to militarized policing of humanitarian aid distribution.
Barrot also called on fellow European countries to demand a removal of the financial blockade on the Palestinian authority so it can receive 2 billion euros he said it is owed.
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Jordan and UAE Drop Aid Into Gaza in First Airdrop in Months, Jordanian Source Says
An airplane drops humanitarian aid over Gaza as seen from northern Gaza Strip July 27, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Jordan and the United Arab Emirates parachuted 25 tons of aid into the Gaza Strip on Sunday in their first airdrop in months, a Jordanian official source said.
The official said the air drops were not a substitute for delivery by land.
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Trump Says Israel Will Have to Decide on Next Steps in Gaza, Pledges More Aid
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 8, 2025. Photo: Kevin Lamarque via Reuters Connect.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, adding that he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with the Hamas terrorist group.
Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue, and said the US would provide more aid to the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
“They don’t want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,” Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland.
“I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he said, while also claiming, without evidence, that Hamas members were stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, saying it had become clear that the Palestinian group did not want a deal.
Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling “alternative” options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home from Gaza and ending Hamas rule in the enclave.
Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be “hunted down,” telling reporters: “Hamas really didn’t want to make a deal. I think they want to die. And it’s very bad. And it got to be to a point where you’re going to have to finish the job.”
US TO PROVIDE MORE AID, TRUMP SAYS
Trump on Sunday said the US would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza, where concerns are mounting about the worsening hunger, but wanted other countries to participate as well. He said he would discuss the issue with von der Leyen.
“We’re giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything,” he said. “If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it’s not like they’re eating well.”
He said he had spoken with Netanyahu and discussed a number of issues, including Iran. He said and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would also discuss Israel when they meet at Trump’s golf property in Turnberry on Monday.
Trump also noted said the United States was not acknowledged for earlier food aid for Gaza.
“No other country gave anything,” he said, calling out European countries in particular. “It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything… Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you.”
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