Discussions in pursuit of finding a truce in the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict seem to have hit a roadblock, just days before an unofficial target of the start of Ramadan.
According to Palestinian officials, discussions between Hamas and global mediators in Cairo, Egypt lasted two days but did not result in any major progress. Israel did not participate in the most recent round of talks.
Hamas’s political leader in Gaza, Basem Naim, shared in text messages with reporters that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not interested in making a deal and the responsibility now lies with the Americans to push him to return to negotiations.
Unnamed sources reported that negotiations between Egypt and its intelligence services are ongoing despite their difficulty, according to Al-Qahera News.
The Hamas group, in discussions with Egyptian, Qatari, and American intermediaries, has decided to extend their negotiations for an additional day.
The Israeli government did not promptly reply to a request for a statement. According to a US representative, Israel had largely agreed to the proposal presented to them by a delegation in Qatar on Saturday.
International mediators have over the last two days put pressure on Hamas to produce a list of hostages to be released as the first step in a phased ceasefire agreement with Israel, according to officials familiar with the talks.
The United States has indicated that Hamas is responsible for the delay in negotiations. During a press conference on Tuesday, Joe Biden declared, “No more excuses, we must increase aid to Gaza. The ceasefire is currently in Hamas’s control.”
The president of the United States proposed that not reaching an agreement could result in the spread of unrest to other Palestinian territories.
Biden urged for a ceasefire to be implemented, as he believes that if the current situation extends into Ramadan, it could pose a significant threat to Israel and Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, Israel did not attend the second day of negotiations in Cairo as expected. They made a request for Hamas to provide a roster of 40 hostages who are elderly, sick, or female. These hostages would be the first to be released in a potential six-week truce, which is set to begin during the month of Ramadan, starting Sunday.
Hamas has requested the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza, the facilitation of extensive humanitarian aid, and the repatriation of Palestinians who were forced from their homes in the northern parts of the territory.
According to diplomatic sources in Washington, it is currently unknown what is hindering the Palestinian militant group from creating a record naming the initial group of hostages. These sources also pointed out that past uncertainties resulted in the breakdown of a previous successful ceasefire in November, after only a week.
One idea proposed was that the communication problems between Hamas units in and out of Gaza may have caused this issue. Another possibility was that some hostages were being held by other groups, such as the more radical Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It is also possible that certain factions of Hamas may be purposely withholding information to impede a potential deal.
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The United States, in partnership with Jordan, conducted a second food airdrop above Gaza, releasing 30,000 meals from transportation aircrafts. However, on Tuesday, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby admitted that the most effective method for delivering aid on a large scale is through land or sea transportation.
According to Kirby, we are exploring both military and commercial possibilities for transporting aid by water. However, there is still a significant amount of effort being dedicated to refining these plans. Even if we are able to arrange a way to deliver aid by ship, it would still need to be unloaded and transported by trucks for distribution within Gaza.
Kirby stated that the United States is still pushing for increased deliveries through roadways, which have decreased significantly due to theft by criminals and desperate crowds, as well as complications from Israeli bureaucracy and lack of cooperation.
On Tuesday, the World Food Programme stated that a convoy consisting of 14 trucks, which had received permission from Israeli authorities to travel to northern Gaza, was delayed for three hours and eventually sent back by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint located at Wadi Gaza, in the middle of the coastal area. Following its return, the convoy was robbed.
Although Washington has recently increased its vocal support for addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, there are those who argue that President Biden has not utilized its role as Israel’s top weapons provider and critical international partner to urge the country to participate in negotiations or provide more aid for Gaza’s vulnerable civilians.
On Saturday, the US Air Force initiated airdrops to deliver aid in a collaborative effort with Jordanian aircrafts. In total, 38,000 meals were delivered following Biden’s statement the day before.
According to statistics from Gaza’s health ministry and the United Nations, Israel’s military attack has resulted in the deaths of over 30,000 individuals, the displacement of 85% of the 2.3 million residents, and the destruction of over half of the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure.
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization predicted that approximately 8,000 individuals would need to be moved for medical care. This would help alleviate strain on the small number of hospitals that are still operating.
The conflict, which has been ongoing for five months, began with Hamas’s unexpected assault on various towns in Israel. According to Israeli data, approximately 1,200 casualties and 250 abductions occurred as a result of this attack.
In November, around 100 hostages were traded for 240 Palestinian women and children who were being held in prisons in Israel. However, efforts to reach a second agreement have been unsuccessful.
The beginning of Ramadan is not a strict deadline for a fresh ceasefire, but the United Nations claims that 25% of the inhabitants in Gaza are at risk of starvation. This makes it imperative for a comprehensive ceasefire to be in place, in order to ensure that enough aid can be delivered to all parts of the area that is under siege.
UN officials stated on Monday that there is a significant increase in child malnutrition in the besieged area. They reported that one out of every six children under the age of two in the northern part of Gaza is suffering from acute malnutrition.
As the duration of the fighting continues, there is a heightened possibility of widespread conflict: Groups supported by Iran in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen have already become involved in the ongoing dispute. The month of Ramadan often sees an increase in aggression in the Israeli-Palestinian tension, even in mild years.
On Tuesday, fighting persisted in Gaza as Hamas representatives claimed numerous Israeli air attacks near Hamad’s European hospital, which is located near the southern town of Khan Younis.
The Gaza health ministry, controlled by Hamas, reported that 97 individuals were killed in the previous 24 hours due to bombing, shelling, and battles. The health ministry does not distinguish between civilian and enemy fatalities. Israel reported that they had attacked 50 targets in the last day.
Source: theguardian.com
