2/12/2023–|Last updated: 12/2/202302:16 PM (Mecca time)
Reuters and the Wall Street Journal quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel is open to negotiating a ceasefire and detainees held by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip, but with the continuation of fighting.
This official from Washington said that Israel is ready to give additional pauses and can negotiate while the fighting continues, according to Reuters.
He added that releasing the largest possible number of detainees is a “top priority” for Israel, and said, “We have learned lessons from our operations in northern Gaza and are applying them.”
The Israeli official also said – according to what the agency reported – that Israel is working on a plan to reduce the damage to civilians in any operation in southern Gaza, as he claimed.
Reuters quoted an American official – whom it described as a senior – that the United States is working with Israel “on a plan to reduce the harm to civilians in any operation south of Gaza.”
In turn, the Wall Street Journal quoted an American official as saying that Israel pledged to carry out a “more targeted” military operation with the aim of what was described as reducing civilian casualties and damage to buildings and other infrastructure.
Extension of the truce
In this regard, Qatar – which played a pivotal role in the mediation efforts – said that negotiations are still ongoing with the Israelis and Palestinians to return to the truce, but the renewed Israeli bombing of Gaza complicates the mediation efforts.
For its part, the Wall Street Journal quoted Egyptian officials as saying that the mediators from Egypt and Qatar failed to reach a breakthrough yesterday, Friday, regarding the truce in Gaza, and they said that the mediators were expected to continue the talks today, but they faltered against the backdrop of determining who the Islamic Resistance Movement would release ( Hamas) later.
The officials said – according to the newspaper – that Israel wants Hamas to release its remaining women and children, and the movement is offering instead to release the bodies of dead and elderly detainees.
The truce that began on November 24 has been extended twice, and Israel said it could continue if Hamas released 10 detainees every day, but the mediators were unable to find a formula to release more detainees, including Israeli soldiers.
A Palestinian official said that the collapse of the truce occurred after Israel demanded that Hamas release female soldiers detained by Hamas.
Back to the bombing of Gaza
As soon as the truce ended on Friday, Israel returned to violently bombing the Gaza Strip, killing more than 240 Palestinians and wounding hundreds within a few hours.
Yesterday, the Israeli occupation dropped leaflets in the eastern areas of Khan Yunis ordering residents of 4 towns to evacuate, not to other areas of the city as happened before, but south to the city of Rafah.
Israel published a link to a map showing Gaza divided into hundreds of areas, and said it would be used in the future to determine safe areas.
Despite this, Israel is bombing Rafah and other areas in the south, where hundreds of thousands of Gazans are taking refuge due to the fighting in the north. Medics and witnesses said that the bombing was intense yesterday in Khan Yunis and Rafah.
Genocide and ethnic cleansing
For his part, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a press conference in California, “We will continue to work with Israel, Egypt and Qatar in efforts aimed at returning to calm,” blaming the Hamas movement.
The Wall Street Journal quoted a US official as saying that Israel pledged to carry out a more targeted military operation with the aim of reducing civilian casualties and damage to buildings and other infrastructure.
The official said that US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli war government about how long the war would continue and did not receive a clear answer.
Officials explained that International pressure may force Israel to stop its operations by the beginning of the year, especially if civilian casualties continue at high levels, a timetable that Israel has not accepted.
Hamas accused Washington of giving Israel the green light to wage “war.” Genocide and ethnic cleansing.” She said in a statement, “Today you brazenly repeat the Zionist lies that…
Hamas holds responsible for resuming the war and not extending the humanitarian calm.”
Meanwhile, Senator Mark Warner, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Reuters that Washington should put pressure on Israel, adding, “We must push Israel to realize that this is not only a military conflict, but rather a conflict for the hearts and minds of people in the world and people in the United States.” “.
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2023-12-02 11:48:45
