How does Hamas respond to the Israeli ceasefire proposal? An Islamist delegation will discuss this with Egyptian mediators in Cairo – while Western and Arab foreign ministers will meet in Saudi Arabia.
There is hope for a ceasefire in the Gaza war ahead of the expected Israeli offensive on the city of Rafah. A delegation will travel to Cairo on Monday to negotiate a ceasefire, a Hamas official told Reuters. Led by Khalil al Hayya, the Palestinian Islamist organization is expected to deliver its response at a meeting with Egyptian intelligence officials. Al Hayya is the number two political wing of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Will Israel abandon Rafah offensive?
The talks between high-ranking representatives of the militant Islamic organization and mediators from Qatar and Egypt are about the latest Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israel offered on Saturday to postpone the planned offensive on Rafah if an agreement was reached on the release of Israeli hostages.
The move envisages the release of around 40 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons and, in a second step, a ceasefire that includes a “period of sustained calm” – Israel’s compromise response to a Hamas demand a permanent ceasefire, the insider told Reuters.
Joe Biden: Humanitarian plan for Gaza
According to the White House, US President Joe Biden reiterated his stance on a possible invasion of Rafah in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: The government in Washington could not support the operation without an appropriate and credible humanitarian plan.
Nevertheless, Israel carried out airstrikes on Rafah during the night, killing 13 people and injuring numerous others, according to doctors and paramedics. Hamas media spoke of 15 dead.
At a meeting of several foreign ministers from Western and Arab states in Riyadh this Monday, efforts to bring about a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of hostages held by Hamas will be discussed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is traveling to Saudi Arabia on the way back from a visit to China, wants to discuss the conflict with regional partners, according to his office. Among those expected are Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
