“Ceasefire Talks Continue Amidst Gaza Crisis: Over 100 Palestinians Killed in Aid Site Tragedy”
Ongoing negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, with a target timeframe before Ramadan, remain on course despite a tragic incident on Thursday where more than 100 Palestinians lost their lives while attempting to access food in Gaza City. Officials familiar with the talks have disclosed that the discussions have not suffered significant setbacks.
US officials stated on Friday that there is no clear indication of a derailing of discussions. However, the outcome largely hinges on Hamas’ response to the ongoing talks held in Paris and Doha over the past week, involving other key nations such as Qatar, Egypt, Israel, and the US. A Hamas official has cautioned that the negotiations could be impacted, though CNN’s attempts to reach multiple Hamas officials for comment have been unsuccessful.
The chaotic scenes following the deaths of numerous Palestinian civilians have injected added urgency into the hostage and ceasefire talks, according to US officials. President Joe Biden, addressing the situation on Friday, called for an “immediate ceasefire” during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
While Biden had expressed hope for a ceasefire by Monday earlier in the week, he provided a mixed assessment later on Friday, acknowledging that it may not be achieved immediately. The president emphasized the urgency of reaching a deal by Ramadan, just a week away, as Israel has warned of expanding military operations into Rafah in the absence of an agreement.
Technical teams have been actively working on key components of a potential deal in Doha throughout the week, with disagreements remaining over numbers, ratios, and IDF troop movements, as reported by Qatari spokesman Majed al-Ansari on Tuesday.
Reports indicate that Hamas is likely to demand a higher ratio of Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange for the release of female IDF soldier hostages. Israel expects a comprehensive list of hostages who are alive and more details on the number of Palestinian prisoners sought as part of Hamas’ response.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri expressed hope for bridging the gaps between the two sides, warning that failure to reach an agreement before Ramadan could escalate tensions in the Arab and Muslim world. He emphasized the significance of success before the beginning of Ramadan to prevent further inflamed emotions.
Participants in the discussions suggest that any agreement would likely be implemented in multiple phases, with an initial deal leading to a truce lasting up to six weeks. This truce could involve the release of a group of Israeli hostages, including women, children, the elderly, and sick hostages, in exchange for a smaller number of Palestinian prisoners than initially demanded by Hamas. Subsequent negotiations during the truce would address more sensitive issues, such as the release of Israeli soldiers, Palestinian prisoners with longer sentences, IDF withdrawal, and a permanent end to the conflict.