Talks to reach a truce in the Israel-Gaza conflict seem to have halted, just before an informal cut-off of the start of Ramadan.
According to Palestinian officials, the recent discussions between Hamas and international mediators in Cairo have not resulted in any major progress after Israel chose not to participate in the talks. The meetings lasted for two days.
Basem Naim, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, stated to journalists via text message that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is refusing to make a deal and is waiting for the United States to intervene and pressure him to resume negotiations.
According to a source from Egypt’s intelligence services, negotiations are ongoing and proving to be challenging, states Al-Qahera News, a media outlet associated with the agency. The source remains anonymous.
The Hamas delegation, in discussion with Egyptian, Qatari, and US negotiators, reached an agreement on Tuesday to extend their talks by at least one more day.
The Israeli government did not promptly reply to a comment request. According to a US official, on Saturday it was reported that Israel had mostly agreed to the terms of the deal presented to them by a delegation in Qatar.
International mediators have over the last two days put pressure on Hamas to produce a list of hostages to be released as the first step in a phased ceasefire agreement with Israel, according to officials familiar with the talks.
The United States has implied that it was Hamas causing delays in the negotiations. “There should be no excuses. We need to provide more aid to Gaza. The responsibility for a ceasefire currently lies with Hamas,” Joe Biden stated in a press conference on Tuesday.
The President of the United States proposed that if a compromise cannot be reached, there is a possibility of protests extending to additional parts of Palestine.
Biden emphasized the importance of a ceasefire in order to avoid a dangerous situation for Israel and Jerusalem, particularly during Ramadan.
Unfortunately, Israel was unable to attend the second day of discussions in Cairo due to their disappointment in not receiving a list from Hamas. The list was expected to include names of 40 vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly, ill, and women, who would be released first as a gesture of goodwill. These releases were meant to coincide with the start of the six-week truce, which was scheduled to commence during the holy month of Ramadan, beginning this Sunday.
Hamas has requested the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza, the provision of extensive humanitarian assistance, and the permission for displaced Palestinians in the northern region of the coastal territory to come back to their homes.
According to diplomatic sources in Washington, the Palestinian militant group has not provided a list of hostages for the first round, and it is unclear what the reason for this delay is. This uncertainty could potentially lead to the collapse of the previous successful truce in November, which only lasted a week.
The idea was put forth that the situation may be due to communication problems between different units of Hamas, both within and outside of Gaza. It is also possible that there are hostages being held by other factions, such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or that certain members of Hamas are purposely withholding information to hinder any potential agreements.
The United States and Jordan collaborated to perform a second food airdrop over Gaza. They used transport planes to deliver 30,000 meals. However, the national security spokesperson for the White House, John Kirby, admitted on Tuesday that the most effective means of distributing aid on a large scale would be through road or sea transportation.
Kirby stated that they are exploring possibilities to transport aid through both military and commercial means by sea. However, there is a significant amount of work needed to fully develop this plan. Additionally, even if they are able to arrange a method for delivering aid via ships, it would still need to be unloaded and transferred to trucks for distribution within Gaza.
According to Kirby, the United States is still pushing for increased deliveries by road, but the process has been greatly hindered due to theft by criminals and people in need of food, as well as bureaucratic obstacles and poor coordination from Israel.
On Tuesday, the World Food Programme stated that a convoy of 14 trucks, with permission from Israeli authorities to travel to northern Gaza, was delayed for three hours and ultimately denied access by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in Wadi Gaza. Following this, the convoy was robbed.
Although Washington has been vocal recently about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, some argue that Biden has chosen not to leverage the US’s position as Israel’s top arms provider and crucial ally to facilitate negotiations or increase aid for the suffering civilians in Gaza.
On Saturday, the United States Air Force initiated the distribution of aid by air in a collaborative effort with Jordanian aircraft. A total of 38,000 meals were delivered following an announcement made by Biden the day before.
According to data from Gaza’s health ministry and the UN, the offensive by Israel has resulted in the death of over 30,000 individuals, displacement of 85% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes, and extensive destruction of over half of the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure.
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization predicted that approximately 8,000 individuals require evacuation for medical care, which would ease the burden on the limited number of functioning hospitals.
The ongoing conflict began five months ago when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli communities, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 abductions according to Israel’s records.
In November, approximately 100 hostages were traded for 240 Palestinian women and children who were being detained in Israeli jails. However, negotiations for a second exchange have been challenging.
While the start of Ramadan is not a hard deadline for a new ceasefire, the UN says a quarter of Gaza’s population are facing starvation, making a comprehensive ceasefire in which sufficient aid can reach all areas of the besieged territory crucial.
One in every six children under the age of two in the northern part of Gaza is experiencing severe malnutrition, according to UN officials who reported on Monday. This is due to the ongoing conflict in the region, causing a significant increase in child malnutrition rates.
As the duration of the conflict continues, the chances of a major conflagration increase. Militant groups supported by Iran in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen have already become involved in the fighting. During Ramadan, there is typically an increase in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even during relatively peaceful times.
Combat persisted in Gaza on Tuesday, as Hamas authorities disclosed numerous Israeli airstrikes in close proximity to the European hospital in Hamad, located near the southern metropolis of Khan Younis.
According to the health ministry in Gaza, there have been 97 fatalities in the last day due to airstrikes, shelling, and battles on the ground. The ministry does not distinguish between deaths of civilians and combatants. Israel has reported hitting 50 targets in the past 24 hours with their jets.
Source: theguardian.com
