Israeli ceasefire talks proposal was disapproved by Hamas in Cairo, as per a senior Hamas official on Monday, Reuters reported. A team was sent from Egypt on Sunday to Israel and Hamas for conducting talks, CIA Director William Burns, Egyptians and Qatari were playing the role of mediators.
A senior official from Hamas said,’’ We have disapproved of the current Israel plan that was conveyed to us by the Egyptian side. The policy making committee met today and has decided this’’. Pressure has been created by Israel’s major ally US by the presence of Burn for a deal that will free Israel hostages who are stuck in Gaza and aid will be provided to civilians of Palestinians who are suffering since the last 6 months because of the conflict.
The Hamas official stated that there are no changes in the position of the occupation by Israel and there is no major headway in the Cairo talks, reported Reuters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has got the details on the talks which were held in Cairo, just a day before Israeli forces withdrew from several areas of southern Gaza.
Netanyahu further said that they are working towards their primary goal which is to set free the hostages and accomplish victory on Hamas. The victory will make their way to Rafah and then they will be able to completely remove terrorists, it will happen on the same day but he didn’t mention the exact date for it.
According to Israel, Rafah is the last place for Palestinian civilians to take shelter from the shelling that have destroyed their neighbourhoods and also a safe bastion for Hamas combat units.
A high palestinian civilian death toll and the humanitarian crisis developing because of the onslaught by the Israeli military to destroy a densely populated Hamas has raised concern from the western powers.
Around 80 bodies have been found from the locations where soldiers were placed as per Palestinian medical officers. Scarcity of food, shelter and water are being faced by the more than one million people who are all jam packed in Rafah.
Development so far:
The US is expecting that the hostage release deal is soon to be finalised and if it happens then it will also result in a ceasefire of almost six weeks.
Major demands asked for:
The ceasefire decision is yet to be made over Israel’s denial to end the war, call by forces from Gaza and to give permission to the civilians to get back to their homes, to remove a 17-old siege and to authorize the restoration process of the coastal enclave. Exchange of hostages Palestinians who are held captivated in Israeli prisons.
Meanwhile, Israel has rejected ending the war anytime soon and pulling out from Gaza, they have made it clear that the forces won’t back down until and unless Hamas terrorizes Israel militarily and has no more power to control Gaza.