The talks between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas to reach a agreement on hostages and ceasefire in Gaza have been “unpromising” in recent days, as expressed Qatarmediating country, in the Munich Security Conference. The US Secretary of State also intervened there, Anthony Blinkenwho assured that almost all Arab countries “sincerely” want to normalize their relations with the Hebrew country.
“I think we can see an agreement very soon. However, the pattern of the last few days is not really very promising,” said the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, at the event held in the German city. “We will always remain optimistic, we will always continue to push,” she added, but also clarified: ““Time is not on our side.”
A Hamas delegation participated this week in Cairo of a series of meetings to discuss a proposal from the mediating countries, United States, Egypt and Qatar, ceasefire after four months of hostilities in Gaza. The plan was also discussed by the heads of American and Israeli intelligence, the Qatari premier and Egyptian officials. However, This push for a new truce did not prosper for the moment.
The Qatari leader also noted this Saturday that The signing of a ceasefire agreement between the parties “should not be conditioned” by an understanding on the release of hostages. Sheikh Mohammed, who is also foreign minister, said he could not go into the details of the negotiations, but that, as in previous agreements, there were two elements, the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the number of Palestinian prisoners who would be released. in exchange for the hostages held by Hamas.
“I think that in this agreement we are talking on a larger scale and We still see some difficulties in the humanitarian part of these negotiations“, he stated, according to the Israeli newspaper Times of Israel. He added that he believes that the negotiations on the humanitarian element are moving forward and that he sees more difficulties in the number of those released, which is why it would be addressed as a last resort. The talks have not led so far to an agreement to end fighting such as the one that took place in November and which allowed the release of about 100 Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisonersin addition to the entry of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.
Earlier, the leader of Hamas’s political wing, Ismail Haniyah, stated that the group will only accept the “complete cessation of hostilities” in the Gaza Strip and targeted Israel for the lack of progress both on that point and on the exchange. of prisoners for hostages. Haniyah stressed that the Israeli authorities must release the Palestinian prisoners who are imprisoned and emphasized the importance of ending the “unjust siege” against the Gazan population, the Europa Press news agency reported. “LThe (Israeli) occupation continues to maneuver and postpone issues that concern our peoplewhile their position focuses on the release of prisoners detained by the resistance,” Haniyah said.
During the meeting in Munich It is expected that the foreign ministers of the powers of the G7, integrated to Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, Look for ways to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza and take advantage of the opportunity to meet with those mainly involved in the crisis in the Middle East. In this context, the head of US diplomacy affirmed today that Israel has a “extraordinary opportunity” for the coming months to integrate into the Middle East.
“Practically, “All Arab countries now want to integrate Israel into the region, normalize relations if they have not already done so, offer security guarantees and commitments so that Israel can feel safer and more protected.”Blinken said. According to the Joe Biden administration official, the normalization of relations will involve providing Israel with “security guarantees” from Arab countries. “At the same time, real efforts are being made, led by Arab countries, to reform, revitalize and renew the Palestinian National Authority, so that it can be more effective in representing the interests of the Palestinian people and can be a partner better for Israel in that future,” he added.
The president of Israel, Isaac Herzog will present his position on how to achieve peace in the region at the forum. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will also speak. The Munich Conference is held from February 16 to 18 with the attendance of some 50 heads of State and Government and a hundred ministers.
The war in the Gaza Strip began when Hamas militiamen infiltrated in Israel killed some 1,200 peoplemostly civilians, and took with them hostages, in their escape, another 240, including twenty with Argentine nationality.. Israel responded to the attack with a military campaign that left at least 28,858 dead and 68,667 wounded in Gaza, according to the latest balance sheet from the local Ministry of Health.
Source: Ambito