Hamas, accompanied by Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, announced on Saturday that discussions for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip are nearing completion.
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Hamas and two other Palestinian groups, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), said on Saturday that a ceasefire agreement was “closer than ever” for the Gaza Strip, scene of more than a year of war with Israel.
“The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange) is closer than ever if the enemy stops imposing new conditions,” the three groups said in a rare joint statement after meeting in Cairo on Friday evening.
They stressed everyone's “commitment to ending the war” Gaza, triggered by the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023.
Indirect negotiations last week in Qatar between Israel and Hamas, with Doha and Egypt as mediators, revived hopes of an agreement on a truce and a release of hostages in Gaza.
A Hamas official told theAFP that the discussions had made “significant progress and important” over the past few days.
“Most of the points concerning the ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners are subject to agreement”
A Hamas official
“Other points remain to be discussed, but they do not call into question the process. The deal could be finalized before the end of the year if (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu does not impose new conditions,” he added, specifying that a possible agreement would be implemented gradually.
The different blocking points
The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken said Thursday that he was “good hope” of achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, without however “risking giving probabilities”.
“It has to succeed. People need to go home.”
Antony Blinken
Until then, the main sticking point in the negotiations was whether or not the ceasefire would be permanent.
Benjamin Netanyahu has also repeatedly stated that he is opposed to a withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphia corridora strip of land controlled by the Israeli army along the border between Gaza and Egypt.
The governance of Gaza after the war is also still widely debated, including within the Palestinian ruling class. Israel strongly opposes Hamas ever ruling the territory again. (tib/ats)
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Gaza Civil Defense announced Sunday that Israeli attacks left 28 victims the previous night. The offensive targeted a school housing displaced people, where the army claims to have “targeted” “Hamas terrorists”.
“An airstrike targeting a school that accommodates thousands of displaced people in eastern Gaza City left eight martyrs, including four children.” This was stated by the spokesperson for the Civil Defense of the Palestinian Territory.
