CAIRO: Hamas leaders continued ceasefire talks on the second day with Egyptian and Qatari mediators on Sunday, with no apparent progress reported as the Palestinian resistance group maintained its demand that any agreement must effectively end the war in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its ongoing bombardment campaign in Gaza as the death toll of Palestinians has surpassed 34,683 since October 7.
Sources close to the mediation effort said that the Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo with a firm resolve to secure a truce deal, albeit not at any cost. Hamas’s primary demand remains the cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a Hamas official said. However, Israel has yet to accept the condition to end the months-long hostilities. “A deal must end the war and get Israeli forces out of Gaza and Israel has not yet committed it was willing to do so,” the Hamas official told Reuters, asking not to be named.
Another Hamas official told Reuters the negotiations are “facing challenges because the occupation (Israel) refuses to commit to a comprehensive ceasefire” but added that the Palestinian group delegation was still in Cairo in the hope mediators could press Israel to change its position.
Israeli officials, meanwhile, have signaled their refusal to accept a deal that would effectively end the conflict, reiterating their objective of disarming and dismantling the Palestinian group.
While negotiations continued, Israel continued airstrikes and tank shelling overnight in Gaza, resulting in casualties among Palestinian civilians. The ongoing Israeli bombardment has inflicted a devastating toll on the enclave, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
Since October 7, Israel’s ongoing relentless bombardment campaign has killed at least 34,683 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and more than 78,000 injured, the health ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave reported. The staggering numbers underscore the urgent need for a cessation of hostilities and a concerted effort to address the humanitarian plight of Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
Qatar and Egypt, acting as mediators, are striving to broker a ceasefire agreement. International concern over the escalating death toll in Gaza has intensified, prompting diplomatic interventions aimed at securing a durable peace.
Meanwhile, CIA Director William Burns, who has been involved in previous ceasefire talks, arrived in Cairo on Friday, underscoring the significance of the negotiations. The United States, along with other Western powers and Israel, has declared Hamas a terrorist organization but has nonetheless urged its engagement in the peace process.
Despite preliminary concessions from Israel, including the potential release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary truce, significant challenges remain unresolved. The fate of remaining hostages and the broader terms of a lasting ceasefire pose formidable obstacles to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement.
Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire agreement that would ensure the safe return of all hostages. The mounting pressure reflects the urgency of ending the cycle of violence and fostering a path towards lasting peace in the region.
