GEOFF BENNETT: Welcome to the "News Hour."

In Israel today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's considering alternative options to cease-fire talks with Hamas.

That comes after Israel and the U.S. pulled their negotiating teams out of talks in Qatar yesterday.

And it echoes a statement by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, who said Hamas was showing what he called a lack of desire to reach a deal.

Hamas says negotiations are set to resume next week.

But, while leaving the White House today, President Trump suggested Israel's only option is to escalate the war.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: It got to be to a point where you're going to have to finish the job.

So now we're down to the final hostages.

And they know what happens after you get the final hostages.

And, basically, because of that, they really didn't want to make a deal.

I saw that.

So they pulled out.

And they're going to have to fight.

GEOFF BENNETT: On the ground in Gaza, health authorities say nine more Palestinians died of malnutrition in the past day.

All told, officials say hunger has claimed more than 120 lives since the start of the war, most of them children.

This week, Israel showed journalists what it says is aid piled up by the border waiting to be distributed by the United Nations.

But the U.N. says its operations are limited by Israeli military restrictions and looting.

European diplomats met with Iran's deputy foreign minister today in an effort to restart negotiations over limiting Tehran's nuclear program.

It was the first round of talks since Iran's 12-day war with Israel last month, during which U.S. bombers damaged Iran's nuclear sites.

Today, representatives from Britain, France and Germany left the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul after four hours of talks.

All sides pledged to meet again.

European leaders warned that they will reinstate harsh sanctions on Iran by the end of August if progress is not made on reaching a deal.

Tens of thousands of people have fled fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces as the violence entered a second day.

At least 15 people have died so far in the worst fighting along their shared border in more than a decade.

Today, the Thai military launched what it called appropriate supporting fire after accusing Cambodia of heavy artillery attacks.

Cambodian officials, meantime, blamed Thailand for the uptick in violence.

The conflict has left nearly 60,000 people displaced so far.

Thailand's acting prime minister said today the situation could -- quote -- "escalate into a state of war."

Here at home, Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney says she's wrapped up a second and final day of questioning by Justice Department officials.

The former girlfriend and longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.

The interviews come as the Justice Department is trying to push back on criticism that it's concealing aspects of Epstein's case, including his past relationship with President Trump.

This morning, when asked by reporters, President Trump said he hasn't considered pardoning Maxwell, but added that he's - - quote -- "allowed to do it."

Later, her lawyer responded to that statement, referring to the president as the ultimate dealmaker.

DAVID OSCAR MARKUS, Attorney For Ghislaine Maxwell: We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet.

And, listen, the president this morning said he had the power to do so.

We hope he exercises that power in the right and just way.

GEOFF BENNETT: Maxwell's attorney went on to say the DOJ's interview covered -- quote -- "every possible thing you could imagine."

The department has said it intends to share more details about what was said at a later date.

The Department of Education says the Trump administration is releasing more than $5 billion in frozen education funds.

Officials had held up more than $6 billion in grant funding to ensure that the spending was in line with White House priorities.

The money went to programs for adult literacy, English language instruction, and other initiatives.

Last week, the Education Department said it would release more than $1 billion, and that was following criticism from a group of Republican senators.

Officials say the remaining funds will be distributed to states starting next week.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended the week on solid footing.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained more than 200 points.

The Nasdaq added 50 points to close at a new record.

The S&P 500 also ended the day at a new all-time high.

And still to come on the "News Hour": Elena Kagan speaks out against her fellow Supreme Court justices' lack of explanation in recent rulings; David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart weigh in on the week's political headlines; and a traveling exhibition showcases the highly influential work of the late artist Ruth Asawa.