Expectations grew over Israel and Hamas’ move towards a new ceasefire and an agreement for the release of hostages in the Gaza conflict on Wednesday. These developments followed discussions in Europe and a visit to Egypt by the leader of the Palestinian militant group.
Hopes rose that Israel and Hamas may be inching toward another truce and hostage-release deal in the Gaza war on Wednesday, following talks in Europe and a visit to Egypt by the head of the Palestinian militant group.
While some talked of a truce, fighting raged and Gaza’s Hamas government said the death toll in the Palestinian territory reached 20,000.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there can be no Gaza ceasefire until Hamas militants are destroyed, but Washington expressed hope the truce talks can bring results.
Multilateral Diplomatic Activity
Mossad Director David Barnea held a “positive meeting” in Warsaw this week with CIA Chief William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a source familiar with the talks told AFP, asking not to be named.
The Qatar-based Chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, arrived in Egypt for talks with the country’s Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel.
A Hamas official told AFP in Gaza that “a total ceasefire and a retreat of the Israeli occupation army from the Gaza Strip are a precondition for any serious negotiation” on a hostage-prisoner swap.
The Egypt talks would focus on proposals including a week-long truce that would see the release of 40 Israeli hostages, a source close to Hamas said.
Before leaving Qatar, Haniyeh met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian but no details were released.
In Rafah, where fireballs and smoke rose after explosions, residents expressed hope that talks would succeed.
Israel Continues Rampage
An AFPTV live camera on Wednesday filmed two bombs hitting Rafah, in southern Gaza where many of the territory’s estimated 1.9 million displaced have fled.
The Health Ministry in Gaza said Israeli strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians when houses and a mosque in Rafah “were targeted”. It later indicated that at least 30 more people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit two houses east of Khan Yunis.
The army reported close-quarter combat and more than 300 strikes over the past day, while the death toll among its own forces rose to 134 inside Gaza.
It said troops had uncovered a tunnel network used by Hamas leaders including Yahya Sinwar, the Islamist movement’s Gaza Chief. The military released footage it said showed the “large network” around Gaza City’s Palestine Square linking hideouts and residences.
UNSC Resolution Stalled
The UN Security Council once again delayed a vote on a resolution calling for a pause to the war after members wrangled over wording. The vote is now scheduled for Thursday morning.
The United States vetoed a previous ceasefire resolution.
Scarce Humanitarian Aid
The World Food Programme said it had delivered food through Kerem Shalom in a first direct aid convoy from Jordan and warned of the “risk of starvation”.
Fuel, water and medical supplies are also scarce, diseases are spreading, and communications have been repeatedly cut.
An Israeli military agency, COGAT, said it had started laying a pipeline from Egypt to deliver drinking water from a mobile desalination plant in a project led by the United Arab Emirates.
Visiting nearby Cyprus, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen expressed support for plans to send humanitarian aid to Gaza from the Mediterranean island.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
