Parties haggling over a attainable cease-fire in Gaza provided combined indicators on Wednesday, with Hamas’s political chief saying that the group was able to preserve preventing Israel whereas the president of Egypt mentioned {that a} truce could possibly be reached “in the next few days.”
The Hamas chief, Ismail Haniyeh, mentioned in a televised speech that the group was open to the mediated talks with Israel, however that “any flexibility we show in the negotiation process is a commitment to protecting the blood of our people, matched by a readiness to defend them.”
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, which is brokering the talks together with Qatar and the United States, provided a rosier view, saying that, “God willing, in the next few days, we will reach a cease-fire agreement” to convey “real relief” to the folks of Gaza. The prediction matched that of President Biden, who mentioned {that a} deal may come as quickly as subsequent week.
In public, nevertheless, Hamas and Israel are sticking with their longstanding positions and never signaling any breakthrough. The two sides haven’t met head to head, as an alternative negotiating by way of mediators in Doha, Cairo and Paris. Hamas leaders proceed to demand that Israel conform to a everlasting cease-fire and withdraw all its troops from Gaza, whereas Israel has insisted that it’s going to proceed preventing till Hamas is eradicated, suggesting it’s not ready to conform to a long-term truce.
In a information convention on Wednesday night time, Yoav Gallant, Israel’s protection minister, mentioned he was reluctant to touch upon Mr. Biden’s remarks {that a} deal is imminent. “I really hope he’s right,” Mr. Gallant mentioned.
Qatar’s international ministry mentioned this week that talks have been persevering with and it was too early to take a position a couple of decision. Mr. Haniyeh didn’t touch upon particular phrases of a cease-fire deal that could possibly be below dialogue, and it was not clear whether or not his remarks mirrored actual reservations or have been a negotiating tactic.
The begin of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, round March 10, has emerged as a goal for mediators to hammer out a truce within the conflict, which began with an Oct. 7 Hamas-led assault on Israel that authorities there say killed at the least 1,200 folks.
Mr. Haniyeh appeared to lift the stakes for reaching a deal within the coming days, calling on Palestinians in Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank to defy Israeli restrictions and march to the Aqsa mosque to wish at first of Ramadan. That creates the prospect of clashes if Palestinians try to method the mosque, one of many holiest websites in Islam and a longtime flashpoint in relations with Israel.
Israel has restricted entry to the Aqsa mosque for West Bank Palestinians, and it has severely restricted motion inside the West Bank for the reason that begin of the conflict in Gaza. Israeli officers are debating whether or not to position additional restrictions on entry to the mosque for some members of the nation’s Arab minority, a transfer that might spark additional unrest.
With the conflict’s demise toll in Gaza nearing 30,000, based on well being officers within the territory, stress is constructing on Israel and the Biden administration, its chief ally, to safe a cease-fire. Israel has provided at the least one important concession, telling Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators in Paris final week that it was able to launch 15 Palestinians jailed on severe terrorism prices in change for 5 feminine Israeli troopers being held in Gaza, based on officers.
But a Hamas spokesman, Basem Naim, instructed The New York Times on Tuesday that the group had but to formally obtain “any new proposals” for the reason that Paris assembly. Mr. Haniyeh met on Monday with the emir of Qatar and accused Israel of dragging its toes within the talks, based on a Hamas assertion.
Israeli officers have mentioned the purpose is to achieve a deal earlier than the beginning of Ramadan. An Israeli delegation — together with professionals from Mossad, Israel’s intelligence company, and its army — traveled to Qatar this week for extra discussions, together with over such particulars because the identities of the hostages and prisoners to be exchanged, based on an Israeli official.
An Israeli official, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to talk to the press, mentioned the Israeli group was nonetheless in Doha on and would return to Israel on Thursday. The official mentioned it was nonetheless not clear whether or not the talks would proceed in Egypt subsequent week.
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Nada Rashwan and Adam Sella contributed reporting.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/29/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news
