Tel Aviv [Israel], August 14: Israel, Hamas and mediators are trying to resume indirect talks that appeared to have collapsed last month, as the Gaza Strip remains engulfed in fire and famine fears.
A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo (Egypt) on August 12 to participate in negotiations to restore a ceasefire plan in Gaza .
Peace efforts
The Guardian quoted Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty as saying: "The main goal of this negotiation is to return to the original proposal - a 60-day ceasefire, the release of some hostages and Palestinian detainees, and the provision of humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza without restrictions and without conditions." Mr. Abdelatty stressed that Egypt is working with both Hamas and Israel to promote an agreement based on the plan recently proposed by the US.
However, Hamas and Israel remain far apart on key issues such as the release of hostages and the disarmament of Hamas. Hamas official Taher al-Nono said meetings with Egyptian officials on August 13 focused on measures to end the conflict, provide humanitarian aid and "ease the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip." Regarding the disarmament issue, a Hamas official told Reuters that the group could give up control of Gaza to a non-partisan committee, but would not lay down its weapons before a Palestinian state was established.
For his part, in an interview with i24 on August 12, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that the conflict will not end until Hamas is "erased", and rejected the option of "partial" release of hostages. Israel is also expected to send negotiators to Doha this week to discuss a comprehensive agreement to release hostages held by Hamas and a ceasefire in Gaza.
The most recent round of indirect talks in Qatar ended in a stalemate in late July, with Israel and Hamas blaming each other for a lack of progress on a US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release.
Tragedy in Gaza
The talks come as Israeli air strikes on Gaza City have increased significantly, just three days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet approved plans to expand the conflict in the area. Gaza health authorities said at least 39 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire across Gaza on Monday morning. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was looking into the reports and the military was taking precautions to minimize civilian casualties.
On the same day, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir signed off on the "main framework for Israel's next operational plan in Gaza." Zamir had previously been reported to have opposed the plan, causing disagreement within Prime Minister Netanyahu's security cabinet, according to The Times of Israel .
In a related development, the United Nations warned on August 12 that hunger and malnutrition in Gaza are at their most severe since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out. In response, foreign ministers of 24 countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, France and Japan, issued a joint statement saying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached "unimaginable proportions" and called on Israel to allow aid into the region without restrictions.
Israel has denied causing the famine, saying Hamas stole the aid. Israel said it has stepped up aid deliveries, including halting fighting in certain areas at certain times and announcing safe routes for aid convoys, according to Reuters. Israel's Coordinator of Government Operations (COGAT) said on August 13 that nearly 320 trucks carrying humanitarian aid had entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
