In a significant development reported by Cairo’s news channel this Saturday, a security source confirmed the resumption of ceasefire negotiations between the Israeli occupation forces and Hamas in Cairo, marking a renewed attempt to reach a settlement following a nearly six-month-long war in the Gaza Strip.
An Israeli official told Reuters that Israel would send a delegation to Cairo on Sunday, while a representative from Hamas stated the movement would await the outcomes of the Egyptian mediators’ discussions with the Israeli side first.
Efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by Qatar and Egypt, are intensifying. The proposed ceasefire aims for a six-week duration in exchange for the release of 40 detainees out of 130 still held in Gaza.
Hamas seeks to leverage any agreement to end the fighting and withdraw Israeli forces. Conversely, Israel has rejected these demands, announcing the continuation of its efforts, claiming it aims to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities and end its governance in Gaza.
Moreover, Hamas demands the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip, while Israel has opened the door to allowing “some” of the displaced to return.
According to health authorities in Gaza, the Israeli aggression has resulted in the martyrdom of over 32,000 Palestinians since the escalation began.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports continued Israeli aerial and ground bombardments, leading to the martyrdom of 82 Palestinians in the last 24 hours alone, with fierce battles raging around al-Shifa Hospital, now under occupation control.