LPrime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel had sent a delegation to mediators in Cairo to negotiate a proposed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
He indicated in a press release that he had instructed the delegation to “continue to be firm on the conditions necessary for the release” of the hostages held since October 7 in the Gaza Strip, as well as on the “essential” conditions to guarantee the security of Israel. The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas said on Monday that it had accepted a truce plan submitted by Egypt and Qatar.
The Israeli Defense Minister warned Tuesday that the army was ready to “intensify” its military operations against Hamas “across the entire Strip” of Gaza if there was no progress on the release of the held hostages in the Palestinian territory.
“We are ready to compromise to bring back the hostages, but if we have no choice, we will intensify the operation throughout the strip – in the south, in the center, and in the north,” declared Yoav Gallant against the backdrop of negotiations in Cairo where Israel sent a delegation on Tuesday, after weeks of fruitless talks.
The Defense Minister was speaking from the border crossing with Egypt at Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, where Israeli armored vehicles were deployed in the morning on the Palestinian side and, according to the Israeli army, have took control seven months after the start of the war.
The agreement negotiated in Cairo must relate in particular to an exchange of Palestinians detained by Israel for hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian armed movements since the attack perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 in Israel.
The Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, indicated in a press release that he had instructed the Israeli delegation to “continue to be firm on the conditions necessary for the release” of the hostages, as well as on the “essential” conditions to guarantee security. of Israel. The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas said on Monday that it had accepted a truce plan submitted by Egypt and Qatar, the content of which was not revealed.
The war broke out on October 7 when Hamas commandos infiltrated from the Gaza Strip launched an attack in southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to a report by the AFP established from official Israeli data.
More than 250 people have been kidnapped and 128 remain captive in Gaza, of whom 35 have died, according to the army.
In retaliation, Israel launched a military operation in the Gaza Strip which left 34,789 dead, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas Health Ministry which rules the small Palestinian territory.
