Trump claims Hamas disarmament deal; Threatens to pull AG pick over two GOP senators
President Donald Trump says he’s reached a historic deal to disarm Hamas, but Hamas isn’t publicly confirming it yet.
Plus, Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination has stalled, but Trump is threatening to pull it instead. So how could that leave him still running the Justice Department?
And a Georgia father is sentenced to 15 years for buying his son the rifle used in a deadly school shooting, adding another landmark case holding a parent criminally responsible.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, July 31, 2026.
Trump claims historic deal, saying Hamas will disarm under Gaza plan
Trump said he has reached a major new milestone in his Gaza peace plan, announcing what he called a historic agreement for Hamas to disarm.
In a Truth Social post Thursday night, Trump announced what he called a “historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” calling it a “monumental step toward lasting peace and security.”
The board of peace said Hamas has agreed to a roadmap for the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire after months of negotiations. Trump also said the agreement would put Gaza under a new Palestinian government. Hamas has not publicly confirmed the agreement. However, the BBC reported a senior Hamas official confirmed the deal to the outlet and said an announcement is expected Friday.
Meanwhile, Iran’s military claimed it launched drone strikes against U.S. military sites in Kuwait overnight, saying it targeted aircraft shelters, satellite communications systems and equipment storage facilities in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island.
U.S. Central Command has not confirmed any attacks.
Trump threatens to pull Blanche’s nomination until Tillis, Cornyn leave Congress
Trump has threatened to pull the nomination of his own attorney general pick rather than give in to Republican holdouts.
The standoff began after the Senate Judiciary Committee delayed a vote on Todd Blanche’s nomination.
Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina said they won’t support Blanche unless the Justice Department puts in writing that a controversial tax settlement cannot be used to revive the scrapped “Anti-weaponization fund,” or shield future Trump tax filings from IRS audits.
“Somebody’s telling him to not do what Blanche said they were going to do,” Tillis told reporters. “Whoever that person is is giving the president bad advice. The only reason why we wouldn’t move forward with this language is that that same advisor wants to bring it back to life at some point.”
On X, Cornyn said Trump is wrong if he thinks the pushback stops with just the two of them.
Trump called Blanche a “star” on Truth Social, criticizing both senators and saying he’d rather temporarily withdraw the nomination than give in to their demands.
“I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office,” Trump said.
Cornyn and Tillis are both not on the November ballot.
But even if Trump pulled the nomination, Blanche would likely still remain in charge of the Justice Department.
Under federal law, the deputy attorney general automatically assumes the duties of the attorney general when the office is vacant.
Since Blanche is already serving as deputy and acting attorney general, a withdrawn nomination may change his title, but not his day-to-day authority.
Seattle police chief resigns following criticism in the wake of a deadly shooting
Just days after a deadly shooting at a Seattle food festival, the city’s police chief has resigned.
Shon Barnes submitted his resignation Thursday, and Mayor Katie Wilson accepted it, saying multiple factors led to the decision.
Barnes faced criticism for the department’s delayed and inaccurate public updates after the shooting that resulted in three deaths — two bystanders and one teen suspect. The department also mistakenly reported that two suspects had been arrested, when only one was in custody.
Barnes also faced questions about frequent travel outside Seattle. His family lives in Chicago, and he was in Dallas for a law enforcement conference the night of the shooting.
Three Seattle city council members criticized the loss of another police chief, saying the city has now gone through four chiefs in just two-and-a-half years and needs stability.
The police officers’ guild, meanwhile, accused Wilson of creating confusion and sending mixed messages about Barnes’ future.
Father of Apalachee High School shooter sentenced to 15 years
A judge sentenced a Georgia father to prison for his role in his son’s deadly school shooting. It’s one of the first cases of its kind in the country. Colin Gray, 55, received 15 years in prison after a jury found he ignored repeated warning signs about his son’s mental health and then purchased the rifle used in the September 2024 Apalachee High School shooting.
Prosecutors had sought an 80-year sentence, but the judge opted for a shorter term based on Colin Gray’s age and lack of prior criminal history.
“I don’t have a concern that you’re going to commit future crimes. You’re 55 years old, and you have no criminal history. You didn’t intend to commit these crimes that you’ve been convicted of. But the loss here is profound,” Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm said. “But I still have to distinguish your acts from the malignant heart in the acts that Colt Gray committed upon the Apalachee School.”
Outside the courtroom, Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said the case should serve as a warning to other families.
“People need to understand that this is a phenomenon going through our society and not take these things lightly, and we — I own guns; I’m not against people owning guns. I own them myself. But when you see someone in distress, please take away their access to guns,” Smith said.
A jury convicted Colin Gray earlier this year of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and other charges. He’s the first parent in Georgia convicted in connection with a mass school shooting committed by their child and the first in the country convicted of murder in a case like this.
His attorneys said they plan to appeal.
The sentencing comes just two days after his son, Colt Gray, now 16, received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
DNA test hits dead end in Nancy Guthrie case
Additional evidence in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping investigation has led to another dead end, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office now faces the threat of legal action. Investigators said they were unable to obtain a usable DNA profile from a hair found in Nancy Guthrie’s home.
Sheriff Chris Nanos told Fox News the sample was just one part of the broader DNA analysis still underway, though he did not specify what other evidence is being tested.
Meanwhile, lawyers for two men detained during the search for Guthrie — along with the mother of one of the men — have filed a notice of claim against Nanos and a detective. A notice of claim is the required first step before filing a lawsuit.
One of the men, Carlos Palazuelos, was held at gunpoint and detained for hours 10 days after Guthrie’s kidnapping, then released without charges. The notice argues investigators have never publicly cleared Palazuelos or stated he is not a suspect, leaving him to live under what his attorneys call a cloud of suspicion.
The second man, Daniel Maddox, was handcuffed and detained for several hours that same day at the home, where investigators searched for evidence. The claim also includes Maddox’s mother, who owns the home, and alleges that investigators damaged the property during the search.
Netflix loses movie drive, producer sues for $105 million
A U.K.-based production company is suing Netflix, alleging the streaming giant failed to safeguard the sole master copy of the unreleased World War II thriller “Fortitude,” starring Nicolas Cage, Ben Kingsley and Ron Perlman.
The lawsuit alleges that an associate producer hand-delivered the drive to Netflix for an internal screening, with instructions to delete the files afterward and return the drive.
But nine days later, Netflix reported the drive had been stolen from its Hollywood office.
Netflix denies responsibility, saying the movie was delivered without standard security protections.
The filmmakers are now seeking $105 million, saying they spent seven years and more than $45 million to make the film and that the missing master copy has jeopardized its release.
More from Straight Arrow:
What happens when insurance rejects prescribed care for hormone patients seeking GLP-1s
Puberty came for Jez Roberts early. The hormones, which often made her menstrual cycles incredibly painful, never let up.
Even at the age of 10, when she first got her period, she knew something wasn’t right.
With each passing year, her menstrual cycle worsened. So did the pain.
It would take 14 years for her to be diagnosed with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS, a hormonal disorder formerly known as PCOS, that affects 10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide.
Even after her diagnosis, Roberts, now 39, struggled to manage the condition. Every medication — from birth control to metformin, a diabetic medication that can help lower blood sugar — caused severe side effects, without improving her overall health.
Her doctor says there is one thing left to try: a GLP-1.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
