Intense ceasefire negotiations between Qatari, US, and Hamas delegations continued on Wednesday in Cairo, as confirmed by a high-level source to Daily News Egypt. The talks, which commenced at 10 am, have yielded notable agreements despite some unresolved issues. Egypt is reportedly exerting significant efforts to maintain the momentum of the Gaza ceasefire discussions.
In a related development, Ofir Gendelman, spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that the Israeli military’s control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing does not breach the peace accord with Egypt. Gendelman assured on the X platform that the operation respects the treaty’s terms and will persist until the objectives against Hamas are met, including the release of Israeli captives.
Concurrently, a Palestinian official from the General Authority for Crossings and Borders in Gaza refuted claims that Israeli authorities permitted aid trucks through the Rafah and Karam Shalom crossings. The official reported that six workers sustained injuries from Israeli gunfire while en route to facilitate the aid trucks’ passage into Gaza.
Despite the lack of visible progress, Egypt-brokered talks continue, with Israel retaining its negotiation team in Cairo. An Israeli official expressed scepticism about an imminent breakthrough that would secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.
On a more optimistic note, a Hamas representative indicated that the differences in the ceasefire talks have narrowed, suggesting that an agreement could be imminent, thanks to the diligent efforts of the mediators involved.
The situation remains fluid, with all parties engaged in a delicate balancing act to achieve a sustainable ceasefire and address the humanitarian concerns in the region.
Also on Wednesday, the Government Information Office in Gaza said that a third mass grave was found inside the Shifa Medical Complex and 49 deaths were recovered from it. It added that the number of mass graves found inside hospital courtyards had risen to seven.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the Israeli occupation army committed seven massacres against civilians in the Gaza Strip causing 55 deaths and 200 injuries that reached hospitals during the past 24 hours, which raises the death toll of the Israeli aggression on the Strip to 34,844 deaths and 78,404 injuries since 7 October 2023.
