GAZA: Talks were expected to resume on Saturday in Egypt aimed at halting months of war in Gaza between Palestinian resistance group Hamas and Israel that have triggered widespread protests around the world, especially across the United States, AFP reported.
Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the US have been waiting for Hamas to respond to a proposal that, according to details released by Britain, would halt fighting for 40 days and exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
A senior Hamas official, speaking anonymously to AFP, confirmed the arrival of all delegations in Egypt for the negotiations. “All delegations have now arrived in Egypt, and at one o’clock (1000 GMT), the first round of negotiations will begin with the presence of all Qatari, Egyptian, and even American delegations,” a senior Hamas official said.
However, talks have been hindered by the Palestinian group’s insistence on a lasting ceasefire and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats of a military operation in Rafah, along the Gaza-Egypt border.
After a meeting in Cairo about a week ago, the Hamas delegation returned to Qatar, where its chief Ismail Haniyeh is based, to discuss the truce proposal.
Since October 7, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign and ground invasion that has killed at least 34,654 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry. Gaza’s Civil Defence agency and hospitals reported several more deaths from strikes in Gaza’s north, centre, and in Rafah.
The potential invasion of Rafah has raised alarms globally, with concerns mounting over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The United Nations reports that over 70% of residential buildings in Gaza have been destroyed during Israeli bombardment, and aid groups warn of a looming catastrophe if hostilities continue.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Hamas to accept the ceasefire proposal, emphasizing that the onus is on them to end the violence. Meanwhile, concerns over civilian casualties mount, with fears that a military operation in Rafah could lead to further bloodshed. “The reality in this moment is the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas,” Blinken maintained.
Hamas Seriously Studying Gaza Truce Proposal
Despite the challenges, there are signs of progress in the negotiations, with Egyptian mediators reportedly reaching agreements on key points of contention. However, Hamas officials maintain that certain issues must be addressed before a ceasefire can be accepted.
Al-Qahera News, linked to Egyptian intelligence services, quoted an unnamed high-ranking source as saying “there is significant progress in the negotiations” and that the Egyptian mediators have “reached an agreed-upon formula on most points of contention”.
The looming threat of a Rafah offensive has drawn criticism both domestically and internationally, with protesters in Israel accusing Netanyahu of prolonging the conflict for political gain. Pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to take decisive action, with calls to reassess arms sales to Israel unless its conduct changes.
The World Health Organization says 1.2 million people, half of Gaza’s population, have sought refuge in Rafah. Aid groups say an invasion would only add to an existing humanitarian catastrophe.
On Friday WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern “that a full-scale military operation in Rafah, Gaza, could lead to a bloodbath.”
Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, said a military operation in Rafah could “strike a disastrous blow” to agencies struggling to provide aid.
The senior Hamas official told AFP that the movement “looks with an open mind to changes in the occupation’s (Israel’s) position and the American position, but there are issues that must be addressed.”
On Friday senior Palestinian group official Hossam Badran had accused Netanyahu of trying to undermine the latest proposal with his threats to keep fighting with or without a deal.
Badran said Netanyahu’s insistence on attacking Rafah was calculated to “thwart any possibility of concluding an agreement”.
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protests that have taken place across US universities for weeks were more muted Friday after a series of clashes with police, mass arrests and a stern White House directive to restore order. Similar demonstrations have spread to campuses in Britain, France, Mexico, Australia, Canada and elsewhere.
United States President Joe Biden is also under pressure from within his own Democratic Party. A letter signed by 88 Democratic members of the House of Representatives expressed serious concern over Israel’s “deliberate withholding” of aid and urged Biden to consider halting arms sales unless Israel’s conduct changes.
