Hamas seized 253 individuals throughout an October 7, cross-border killing spree in southern Israel

Cairo, Egypt:

A Hamas official mentioned on Monday no progress was made at a brand new spherical of Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo additionally attended by delegations from Israel, Qatar, and the US, shortly after Egyptian sources mentioned headway had been made on the agenda.

Western powers have voiced outrage over what they see as an unacceptably excessive Palestinian civilian demise depend and humanitarian disaster in Gaza arising from Israel’s army onslaught to destroy Hamas in tiny, densely populated Gaza.

Israel and Hamas despatched groups to Egypt on Sunday after the arrival on Saturday of CIA Director William Burns, whose presence underlined rising US stress for a deal that may free hostages held in Gaza and get help to stricken civilians.

“There is no such thing as a change within the place of the occupation and due to this fact, there may be nothing new within the Cairo talks,” the Hamas official, who requested to not be named, informed Reuters. “There is no such thing as a progress but.”

Earlier on Monday, Egypt’s state-affiliated Al-Qahera Information TV channel quoted a senior Egyptian supply as saying progress had been made after a deal was reached amongst taking part delegations on points below dialogue.

Six months into its offensive in opposition to Palestinian Islamist motion Hamas that has devastated Gaza and left most of its 2.3 million individuals homeless and plenty of dealing with famine, Israel additionally voiced cautious optimism in regards to the newest mediated negotiations.

In Jerusalem on the weekend, Israeli Overseas Minister Israel Katz described the Cairo talks because the closest the perimeters have come to a deal since a November truce below which Hamas freed dozens of hostages.

“Now we have reached a vital level within the negotiations. If it really works out, then numerous hostages will come house,” he informed Israel’s Military Radio.

Hamas seized 253 individuals throughout an October 7, cross-border killing spree in southern Israel that sparked the battle. Of these, 129 hostages stay, and negotiators have spoken of round 40 going free within the first stage of a potential cope with Hamas.

Two Egyptian safety sources and Al-Qahera Information mentioned progress had been made within the Cairo talks.

The safety sources mentioned that either side had made concessions that would assist pave the best way for a ceasefire deal in parallel conferences with mediators on Sunday.

The concessions associated to the discharge of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and the Palestinian group’s demand for the return of displaced residents to northern Gaza, they added, with out giving additional particulars.

Consultations have been anticipated to proceed inside the subsequent 48 hours, Al-Qahera reported.

Not Versatile On Principal Calls for, Says Hamas

A Palestinian official near mediation efforts informed Reuters that impasse continued to reign over Israel’s refusal to finish the battle, withdraw its forces from Gaza, permit tons of of hundreds of displaced civilians to return to their properties and carry a 17-year-old blockade to permit speedy reconstruction.

These steps take priority over Israel’s prime demand for a launch of hostages in alternate for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, mentioned the official, talking on situation of anonymity.

“Relating to the alternate of prisoners, Hamas was and is keen to be extra versatile, however there isn’t a flexibility over our…important calls for,” he informed Reuters.

Israel has dominated out winding up the battle shortly or withdrawing from Gaza, saying its forces is not going to relent till Hamas now not controls Gaza or threatens Israel militarily.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Israel wouldn’t give in to “excessive” Hamas calls for.

However Israeli officers have signalled willingness to permit some Palestinians displaced from northern Gaza to return there.

Hamas killed 1,200 individuals in its rampage into southern Israel on Oct. 7, in response to Israeli tallies. Greater than 33,100 Gaza Palestinians have been killed within the Israeli response, in response to the well being ministry in Gaza. Greater than 600 Israeli troopers have been killed in Gaza fight, the military says.

Beneath worldwide stress to ease Gaza’s humanitarian disaster and never observe via on plans to storm Rafah, a southern city filled with one million displaced individuals, Israel mentioned on Sunday it had pulled extra troopers from southern Gaza.

This left only one brigade there, however Defence Minister Yoav Gallant mentioned the troops could be making ready for future army operations, together with “their coming mission within the Rafah space”.

A day after Israeli forces retreated from the guts of residential areas of the southern metropolis of Khan Younis after months of bombardment and raids, Palestinian medics mentioned they recovered eight extra our bodies of individuals killed by Israeli gunfire. That they had retrieved 12 our bodies from the rubble the day earlier than.

However a number of miles to the south onerous up on the border with Egypt, residents of Rafah, the final Palestinian refuge from Israeli floor forces, mentioned Israel carried out no less than 5 airstrikes on elements of town, inflicting plenty of accidents.

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