The death toll in the Gaza Strip since the Israel-Hamas war began last October has exceeded 30,000, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry announced on Thursday. The move comes as Israel and Hamas sent representatives to Qatar this week to hammer out details of a proposed halt to weeks of fighting in the Gaza Strip, where the war is entering its fifth month.
A ceasefire could provide relief for Palestinians living in the war-torn enclave, where the United Nations says a quarter of the population is on the brink of starvation. International pressure is mounting on Israel to agree to a ceasefire as the death toll rises.
The deal could also free some of the remaining 130 Israeli hostages kidnapped in the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people.
Earlier this week, President Biden expressed optimism that a ceasefire could be reached as early as Monday, one week before the scheduled start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan on March 10. But Israel and Hamas remain skeptical.
🤝 What will the deal be like?
The Associated Press reported that a senior Egyptian official helping to mediate the negotiations said the proposal included a six-week cessation of fighting. Hamas plans to release 40 hostages, most of them women, minors, the elderly and the sick.
In return, Israel would release more than 300 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Displaced Gaza residents, except for men of combat age, will also be allowed to return to certain areas in northern Gaza from which they had previously evacuated as a result of Israeli ground attacks.
Egyptian officials told The Associated Press that aid shipments to the war-torn region will be facilitated by Israel, with about 300 to 500 trucks expected to enter the enclave per day.
🇺🇸What did Biden say?
During an appearance Monday at an ice cream shop in New York City with comedian Seth Meyers, President Biden was asked by a reporter when the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire would begin.
Mr. Biden responded, “Well, we hope to have it by the beginning of the weekend, by the end of the weekend.” “My national security adviser says we're getting close. It's not over yet. And my hope is that by next Monday there will be a ceasefire.”
Appearing on Meyers' late-night show, Biden added, “Ramadan is approaching, and there was an agreement with the Israelis that there would be no operations during Ramadan to give us time to rescue all the hostages.” . ”
🇮🇱What did Israel say?
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: fox & friends“Of course we would like this deal if we could. It's up to Hamas. It's really their decision now. They have to face reality.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said at a press conference Wednesday night that he did not want to comment on Biden's remarks. “I really hope he's right,” Gallant said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces would invade Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border, regardless of a temporary ceasefire. Rafah is home to approximately 1.4 million Palestinians who were displaced by Israeli military attacks.
🗣️ What did Hamas say?
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the militant group was willing to talk with Israel for a temporary ceasefire, but was prepared to continue fighting. “Any flexibility we show in the negotiation process is a commitment to protect the blood of our people, consistent with our commitment to protect the blood of our people,” Haniya said in a televised address on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, two senior Hamas officials also downplayed Biden's optimistic schedule. “There is still a huge gap to be filled,” one person told a news agency.
❌ Where do the two sides differ?
Since the start of the war, Israel has insisted that it would only consider a temporary suspension of fighting and that the war would not end until Hamas was “eradicated.” Hamas has also long maintained that all Israeli hostages would only be released as part of a deal that would bring a complete end to the Gaza war.
Additionally, Israel wants to release all of the female soldiers in the first wave of hostages, but Hamas is likely to push back because it views the soldiers as more important “bargaining chips,” the Associated Press said. Reporting.
Hamas also rejected any Israeli request that the militant group stop firing rockets into southern Israel.
Other issues concern “numbers, proportions and troop movements,” a Qatari spokesperson said. CNN reports that this may have something to do with the number of Israeli hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and which areas of the Gaza Strip Israeli forces will withdraw from. is high.
🇶🇦🇪🇬 What does the mediator say?
Qatar, the main mediator in these ceasefire talks, said hurdles remain to a breakthrough. The United States and Egypt also participated in the talks.
Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majid Al Ansari said: “We have not reached a final agreement on the issues that prevent us from reaching an agreement,'' adding, “However, we hope to reach some agreement.'' I continue to do so,” he said. ”
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi echoed Biden's optimism. “We hope that a ceasefire will be reached in the coming days so that real relief in all areas for the people of the Gaza Strip can begin,” Sisi said at an event in Cairo on Wednesday.
