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CAIRO — A Hamas official stated on Monday no progress had been made at a brand new spherical of talks in Cairo on a cease-fire within the Gaza conflict after the Egyptian hosts stated headway had been achieved on the agenda.
Israel and Hamas despatched groups to Egypt on Sunday after the arrival on Saturday of CIA Director William Burns, whose presence underlined rising U.S. stress for a deal that will free Israeli hostages held in Gaza and get assist to Palestinian civilians. Qatari representatives additionally attended.
“There is no such thing as a change within the place of the occupation (Israel) and subsequently, there’s nothing new within the Cairo talks,” the Hamas official, who requested to not be recognized, informed Reuters. “There is no such thing as a progress but.”
Western powers have voiced concern over the excessive Palestinian civilian dying toll and the humanitarian disaster arising from Israel’s army onslaught to destroy Hamas within the densely populated Gaza Strip.
Some 33,207 Palestinians have been killed in six months of battle, Gaza’s well being ministry stated in an replace on Monday. Many of the enclave’s 2.3 million persons are homeless and lots of are prone to famine.
Hamas killed 1,200 folks in southern Israel within the cross-border assault on Oct. 7 that triggered the battle, in line with Israeli tallies. The Israeli military says over 600 of its troopers have been killed in fight since.
On Monday, a day after Israeli forces pulled again from some areas in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Palestinian medical officers stated their groups had recovered greater than 60 our bodies from areas the place the troopers operated previously months.
A whole bunch of residents who had fled and been dwelling in tents within the metropolis of Rafah — the place multiple million folks had been sheltering — returned to their devastated residence areas.
Some rode on donkey carts, rickshaws and open-deck automobiles whereas some simply walked. They had been shocked on the destruction of buildings, roads and property they’d left behind.
“It’s a shock, a shock … the destruction is insufferable,” stated resident Mohammed Abou Diab. “I’m going to my home and I do know that it’s destroyed. I’m going to take away the rubble to get a shirt out,” he added.
In Washington, a White Home spokesperson stated the US hoped to safe a hostage launch deal as quickly as attainable since it might additionally result in a ceasefire of round six weeks. Hamas is reviewing a brand new proposal now, John Kirby stated.
The place there’s some progress
In Jerusalem on the weekend, Israeli International Minister Israel Katz described the Cairo talks because the closest the perimeters have come to a deal since a short-lived November truce below which Hamas freed practically half of its hostages.
Hamas seized 253 folks through the Oct. 7 assault. Of these, 133 hostages stay captive and negotiators have spoken of round 40 going free within the first stage of a potential take care of Hamas.
Two Egyptian safety sources and state-run Al-Qahera Information stated on Monday some progress had been made within the Cairo talks.
The safety sources stated either side had made concessions that might assist pave the way in which for a deal for a truce which might be staggered over three phases, with the discharge of any remaining Israeli hostages and a long-term cease-fire addressed within the second stage.
The concessions relate to the liberating of hostages and Hamas’ demand for the return of displaced residents to northern Gaza, they stated. Mediators instructed the return may very well be monitored by an Arab drive within the presence of Israeli safety deployments that will later be pulled again, they added.
Delegations left Cairo and consultations had been anticipated to proceed inside 48 hours, the sources and Al-Qahera stated.
‘Predominant calls for’
Nonetheless, a Palestinian official near mediation efforts informed Reuters that impasse continued over Israel’s refusal to finish the conflict, withdraw its forces from Gaza, permit all civilians to return to their properties and carry a 17-year-old blockade to permit speedy reconstruction of the coastal enclave.
These steps took priority over Israel’s prime demand for a launch of hostages in change for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, stated the official, talking on situation of anonymity.
“Concerning the change of prisoners, Hamas was and is prepared to be extra versatile, however there isn’t a flexibility over our…major calls for,” he stated.
Israel has dominated out ending the conflict shortly or withdrawing from Gaza, saying its forces won’t relent till Hamas not controls Gaza or threatens Israel militarily.
Requested in regards to the talks by reporters on Monday, Israeli authorities spokesman Avi Hyman wouldn’t go into element, saying solely: “A very powerful factor is that the appropriate persons are in the appropriate place on the proper time to debate a manner during which the 133 Israeli hostages may be launched.”
Underneath international stress to ease the humanitarian disaster and drop plans to storm Rafah, Israel stated on Sunday it had withdrawn extra troopers from southern Gaza.
This left only one brigade there, however Protection Minister Yoav Gallant stated the departing troops could be getting ready for future operations, together with “their coming mission within the Rafah space.”
Rafah is the final refuge for displaced Gaza civilians from Israeli floor forces and, in line with Israel, the final important redoubt of Hamas fight items.
Contributing: Dan Williams, Henriette Chacar and Aidan Lewis
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