Talks to agree on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza have been “not very promising” in recent days, according to mediator Qatar. Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani remains optimistic but adds that time is not in their favor. Israel’s prime minister has said he will press ahead with plans for a Rafah ground invasion, despite growing international pressure.
Hamas has blamed Israel for a lack of progress in achieving a ceasefire deal.Senior officials from the US, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar meet to try to broker a pause in fighting.
Sheik Mohammed, speaking at a meeting of world leaders at the Munich Security Conference, believes that a truce should not be dependent on a deal to release the hostages held by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent negotiators following a request from US President Joe Biden, but they did not return for further discussions because Hamas’s demands were “delusional.”.
The group has laid out a series of demands, including the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, full withdrawal of Israel’s forces, and an end to the war after a 135-day pause in fighting. Israel launched its military offensive after Hamas-led gunmen killed at least 1,200 people and seized 253 hostages in a surprise attack on its territory on 7 October.
The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 28,800 people, mainly women and children, have been killed in Israel’s campaign.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his aims of destroying Hamas and said his forces would fight until Israel achieved “absolute victory.”
He said those urging against military action in Rafah were effectively telling the country to “lose the war”, adding that his troops would enter even if a hostage deal was reached.Israel is also facing domestic pressure to bring home the hostages who remain in Gaza. Hamas has blamed Israel for a lack of progress in achieving a ceasefire deal and threatened to suspend its involvement unless relief supplies are brought into the north of Gaza.
(BBC)
