Events haggling over a doable cease-fire in Gaza supplied blended indicators on Wednesday, with Hamas’s political chief saying that the group was able to hold combating Israel whereas the president of Egypt mentioned {that a} truce may very well be reached “within the subsequent few days.”
The Hamas chief, Ismail Haniyeh, mentioned in a televised speech that the group was open to the mediated talks with Israel, however that “any flexibility we present within the negotiation course of is a dedication to defending the blood of our individuals, matched by a readiness to defend them.”
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, which is brokering the talks together with Qatar and america, supplied a rosier view, saying that, “God keen, within the subsequent few days, we’ll attain a cease-fire settlement” to deliver “actual aid” to the individuals of Gaza. The prediction matched that of President Biden, who mentioned {that a} deal might come as quickly as subsequent week.
In public, nonetheless, Hamas and Israel are sticking with their longstanding positions and never signaling any breakthrough. The 2 sides haven’t met head to head, as a substitute negotiating via mediators in Doha, Cairo and Paris. Hamas leaders proceed to demand that Israel conform to a everlasting cease-fire and withdraw all its troops from Gaza, whereas Israel has insisted that it’s going to proceed combating till Hamas is eradicated, suggesting it isn’t ready to conform to a long-term truce.
In a press briefing Wednesday evening, Yoav Gallant, Israel’s protection minister, mentioned he was reluctant to touch upon Mr. Biden’s remarks {that a} deal is imminent. “I actually hope he’s proper,” Mr. Gallant mentioned.
Qatar’s international ministry mentioned this week that talks had been persevering with and it was too early to invest a few decision. Mr. Haniyeh didn’t touch upon particular phrases of a cease-fire deal that may very well be underneath dialogue, and it was not clear whether or not his remarks mirrored actual reservations or had been a negotiating tactic.
The beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, round March 10, has emerged as a goal for mediators to hammer out a truce within the battle, which began with an Oct. 7 Hamas-led assault on Israel that authorities there say killed a minimum of 1,200 individuals.
Mr. Haniyeh appeared to boost the stakes for reaching a deal within the coming days, calling on Palestinians in Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution to defy Israeli restrictions and march to the Aqsa mosque to hope at first of Ramadan. That creates the prospect of clashes if Palestinians try to strategy the mosque, one of many holiest websites in Islam and a longtime flashpoint in relations with Israel.
Israel has restricted entry to the Aqsa mosque for West Financial institution Palestinians, and it has severely restricted motion inside the West Financial institution for the reason that begin of the battle in Gaza. Israeli officers are debating whether or not to position additional restrictions on entry to the mosque for some members of the nation’s Arab minority, a transfer that might spark additional unrest.
With the battle’s demise toll in Gaza nearing 30,000, in response to well being officers within the territory, stress is constructing on Israel and the Biden administration, its chief ally, to safe a cease-fire. Israel has supplied a minimum of one important concession, telling Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators in Paris final week that it was able to launch 15 Palestinians jailed on severe terrorism expenses in change for 5 feminine Israeli troopers being held in Gaza, in response to officers.
However a Hamas spokesman, Basem Naim, instructed The New York Occasions on Tuesday that the group had but to formally obtain “any new proposals” for the reason that Paris assembly. Mr. Haniyeh met on Monday with the emir of Qatar and accused Israel of dragging its toes within the talks, in response to a Hamas assertion.
Israeli officers have mentioned the objective is to achieve a deal earlier than the beginning of Ramadan. An Israeli delegation — together with professionals from Mossad, Israel’s intelligence company, and its army — traveled to Qatar this week for extra discussions, together with over such particulars because the identities of the hostages and prisoners to be exchanged, in response to an Israeli official.
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Nada Rashwan and Adam Sella contributed reporting.
