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| Reuters |
NEWSLINE PAPER,- Negotiations to secure the release of captives and broker a ceasefire in Gaza have intensified, and on Saturday they resumed in Cairo.
Hamas said that having looked over the most recent ceasefire plan, its team went into the negotiations with optimism. "We are determined to reach an agreement that meets the demands of Palestinians," said the group.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underlined that Hamas should find it easy to accept the ceasefire. The militant group should give the welfare of the people first priority, he said.
Representatives of Hamas went back to Cairo to participate in talks facilitated by Qatar and Egypt. The negotiations seek to arrange the release of captives while momentarily stopping Israel's offensive in Gaza.
Hamas expressed openness to improve the present proposal in a statement that was just made public and listed points of contention between the parties.
One major issue is how long the ceasefire will last. While Israel is apprehensive to accept a lasting ceasefire while Hamas maintains power in Gaza, Hamas demands a pledge to terminate the fighting. The present talks focus on a 40-day ceasefire in hostilities to enable the exchange of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel and hostage releases.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has underlined intentions for a possible military action in the southern Gaza city of Rafah notwithstanding the continuing talks. Netanyahu's position, according to reports, is unwavering even after the most recent round of negotiations.
Key supporter of Israel, the United States, is cautious to support any offensive measures that would cause civilian casualties. The United States has demanded a thorough strategy to address humanitarian issues in Gaza and underlined the need of protecting displaced Palestinians.
Concerning the possibility of a truce, Israeli minister Benny Gantz emphasized the importance of formal reactions and warned against speculating too soon.
William Burns, the director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is said to have visited Cairo to participate in the discussions. In order to further the peace talks, Secretary Blinken has also been crucial, interacting with Israeli authorities.
Progress has been elusive even after months of ceasefire talks. The difficulty of the situation is highlighted by the lack of a truce or the release of the hostages since November. Though there is hope for a breakthrough in the current talks, caution is advised and a final agreement might not emerge for some days.
Sources with knowledge of the negotiations state that there are still a lot of obstacles to be cleared. If Hamas keeps rejecting peace proposals, the US has allegedly asked Qatar to move against the organization.
Families of the detainees asked the government to give their release top priority as hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv to demand the safe return of the hostages. Some demanded that the war be ended right away and charged Netanyahu of impeding the peace process.
Following attacks on Israeli towns and military posts by Hamas and other militant organizations, which resulted in losses and hostage-taking incidents, the Gaza War broke out. Gaza has suffered great destruction and a great deal of casualties from the Israeli military operation that followed.
(Newsline Paper Teams)