Hamas officials to hold meeting in Cairo to discuss possible ceasefire in Gaza
Hamas representatives will attend a ceasefire meeting in Cairo on Saturday to negotiate a truce deal in Gaza.
A representative from the Palestinian terror group told AFP on Friday, “A Hamas delegation will go to Cairo tomorrow for several meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss ideas for a ceasefire and a prisoner accord in the Gaza Strip.”
The development comes days after Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire deal brokered by the US and France.
After the Israel-Hezbollah truce deal came into effect last week, US President Joe Biden said that Washington would now push for the Gaza ceasefire with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and Israel.
“Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the hostages released and an end to the war without Hamas in power,” POTUS said.
Some 251 hostages were also taken on October 7, and 97 are believed still in Gaza, including 34 people who the Israeli army says are dead.
The only ceasefire so far, in November 2023, saw the release of about 100 hostages by Hamas and its allies in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire has put renewed pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring the hostages back under a truce deal with Hamas.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military would stay stationed in Gaza for years to come, a cabinet minister said on Friday.
Avi Dichter, Israel’s minister for food security and a member of the Israeli security cabinet said, “I think that we are going to stay in Gaza for a long time. I think most people understand that [Israel] will be years in some kind of West Bank situation where you go in and out and maybe you remain along Netzarim [corridor]”.
The Israeli military’s prolonged presence in Gaza will ensure the thwarting of Hamas’ fresh recruits and streamline food and aid transfer in the region, Dichter said.
Source » firstpost.com
