GAZA: The Israeli military on Tuesday took control of the crucial Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, pushing into the southern city of Gaza after a night of relentless air strikes despite Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire proposal from mediators. Israel has intensified its bombardment campaign in Gaza as prospects for a ceasefire deal hung in the balance.
Late on Monday, Hamas announced that the Palestinian resistance group had agreed to a ceasefire proposal brokered by mediators from Qatar and Egypt seven months into the ongoing relentless Israeli bombardment that has pushed more than a million of Gaza’s Palestinian population into the south of the enclave.
However, Israel promptly rejected the terms of the ceasefire proposal, citing inadequacies and proceeded with military operations in Rafah, further complicating prospects for peace.
“The Israeli occupation has sentenced the residents of the Gaza Strip to death after the closure of the Rafah border crossing,” expressed Hisham Edwan, spokesman for the Gaza Border Crossing Authority. He condemned the blockade’s impact on civilians and the collapse of healthcare infrastructure, particularly affecting patients in need of urgent medical attention.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office clarified that while Israel deemed the ceasefire proposal insufficient, it remained open to negotiations. Despite this, Israeli forces continued their offensive in Rafah, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire talks.
Meanwhile, Hamas reaffirmed its stance, emphasizing its steadfastness in demanding a comprehensive ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli troops, exchange of prisoners, Gaza reconstruction, and the lifting of the siege. Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh held a telephonic conversation with Ziyad al-Nakhalah, head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, to assess the peace proposals put forward by mediators.
Meanwhile, mediator Qatar announced the dispatch of a delegation to Cairo to resume indirect negotiations between Israeli and Hamas representatives. Majed al-Ansari, spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry, expressed hope for a swift resolution, advocating for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, humanitarian aid access, and the exchange of prisoners. “The talks will culminate in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and the sustainable flow of humanitarian aid into all areas of the Strip,” he expressed hope.
Qatar, which alongside Egypt and the United States has played a mediation role in the talks, said it hoped the negotiations would culminate in an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
