Gaza truce in balance as Hamas seeks plan to end war
Mediators are expected to reconvene in Cairo soon and search for a formula acceptable to Israel and Hamas for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, as pressure mounts for a pause in fighting by Ramadan.
Families and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, attend a protest rally in Jerusalem, 02 March 2024. EPA/ABIR SULTAN
Israeli and Hamas delegations were expected to arrive in Cairo on Sunday, two Egyptian security sources said, though another source briefed on the talks said Israel would not send a delegation until it got a full list of hostages who are still alive.
Hopes for the first pause in fighting since November rose this week after a previous round of talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt in Doha and indications from US President Joe Biden that agreement was close.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
The US military carried out its first airdrop of aid into Gaza after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for food underlined the growing humanitarian catastrophe https://t.co/tfp5xLjzpt pic.twitter.com/R4LVjXPDk7— Reuters (@Reuters) March 2, 2024
Hamas has not backed away from its position that a temporary truce must be the start of a process towards ending the war altogether, the Egyptian sources and a Hamas official said.
However, the Egyptian sources said assurances had been offered to Hamas that the terms of a permanent ceasefire would be worked out in second and third phases of the deal. The duration of the initial pause, a phase expected to last about six weeks, had been agreed upon, the sources said.
Hamas did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the assurances and whether they were sufficient to move forward with the six-week pause.
A senior US administration official on Saturday said the framework for a six-week pause was in place, with Israel’s agreement, and now depended on Hamas agreeing to release hostages it has held in Gaza since its attacks on southern Israel on October 7.
“The path to a ceasefire right now literally at this hour is straightforward. And there’s a deal on the table. There’s a framework deal. The Israelis have more or less accepted it,” the official told reporters.
“The onus right now is on Hamas.”
Hamas said this week that about 70 captives had been killed due to Israel’s military operations.
Israel also wants Hamas to agree to a ratio of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for each hostage, said the source, who declined to be identified further. “No delegation will be going to Cairo until Hamas provides answers,” the source said.
A draft proposal indicated progress on a number of issues and proposed an overall ratio of 10 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel for each hostage.
Speaking to reporters about a ceasefire as he left the White House on Friday, Biden said: “We’re not there yet.”
Nevertheless, the security sources said Egyptian and US negotiators were still confident a partial or complete agreement will be reached by the middle of next week.
After five months of war, Hamas is also under pressure to reach a deal, a US official in Washington and one diplomat in the region said.
Israel’s military campaign began in response to the Hamas attack on October 7 that killed 1200 people and involved the seizure of 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
This week, the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since October 7 passed 30,000, health authorities in the enclave said.
By Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo
AAP/Reuters with agencies
You can’t make peace with Hamas. Their charter is to destroy Israel and kill Jews. You could have a temporary ceasefire. That is the best you can hope for.