Hamas said the latest ceasefire talks had ended. Israel announces military deployment in ‘very near future’

The latest round of ceasefire talks ended in Cairo after “deep and serious discussions”, the militant group Hamas said on Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected. .

After signs of progress, prospects appeared dim when Israel closed the main crossing point to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza after Hamas militants attacked it. The defense minister claimed Hamas was not serious about the agreement and warned of “a strong operation in the very near future in Rafah and elsewhere across Gaza.”

Israel did not send a delegation to the talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that “we see signs that Hamas has no intention of coming to any agreement.” any.”

Egyptian state media reported that the Hamas delegation had left Cairo for talks in Qatar and would return to the Egyptian capital for further talks on Tuesday.

Another threat to the talks came when Israel ordered the closure of the local offices of Qatar’s Al Jazeera satellite news network, accusing it of broadcasting inflammatory content against Israel. The ban does not appear to affect the channel’s operations in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under pressure from hardliners in his government, continued to downplay expectations for a ceasefire, calling Hamas’s main demands “extreme” – including including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and ending the war. Netanyahu said that would mean surrendering after a Hamas attack on October 7 that sparked fighting.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in an earlier statement that the militant group was serious and positive about the negotiations and that stopping Israeli aggression in Gaza was a main priority.

But the Israeli government once again announced it would continue its military operation in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city on the border with Egypt, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are currently seeking refuge. shelter from Israeli attacks. Rafah is a key entry point for aid.

Kerem Shalom, now closed, is another place. The Israeli military said 10 projectiles were launched at the crossing in southern Israel and said its warplanes then attacked the source. Hamas said it had targeted Israeli soldiers in the area. Israel’s Channel 12 television said 10 people were injured, three of them seriously injured. It’s unclear how long the crossing will be closed.

The attack came shortly after the head of the United Nations World Food Program confirmed “full-blown famine” in devastated northern Gaza, one of the most prominent warnings yet about the limited numbers. for food and other aid entering the territory. The comments do not constitute an official statement on the famine.

In extended remarks when the full NBC interview was published Sunday, WFP director Cindy McCain said famine is “moving south” in Gaza and Israel’s efforts to allow more Aid is not enough. “We need more capacity so we can bring in more trucks,” she said. “We now have a large amount outside the border, enough trucks and enough food for 1.1 million people for about three months. We need to get that number in.”

Gaza’s enormous humanitarian needs add pressure to pursue a ceasefire. The proposal that Egyptian mediators put forward to Hamas sets out a three-phase process that would bring about an immediate, six-week ceasefire and the partial release of Israeli hostages taken in the attack on Sunday. October 7, which will also include some form of Israeli withdrawal. . The first phase will last for 40 days. Hamas will start by releasing female civilian hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Netanyahu claimed that Israel had shown its willingness to make concessions but said it “will continue to fight until all goals are achieved”. That includes the stated aim of crushing Hamas. Israel said it had to target Rafah to attack remaining militants there despite warnings from the United States and other countries about the danger to civilians.

According to Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital, an Israeli attack Sunday on the al-Attar family’s home in an urban refugee camp near Rafah killed four children, including a baby. and 2 adults.

In a later speech on Israel’s annual Holocaust remembrance day, Netanyahu added: “We will defend ourselves by all means. We will overcome our enemies and we will ensure our security – in The Gaza Strip, the Lebanese border, everywhere.”

Hamas’s cross-border attack on October 7 killed about 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. Israel said the rebels still held about 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others. Netanyahu is under increasing pressure from the families of some of the hostages to reach a deal to end the war and free the hostages.

Israel’s air and ground attack has killed more than 34,500 people, according to Palestinian health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants but say women and children make up the majority of those die.

Israel blames Hamas for the civilian deaths, accusing it of infiltrating residential areas and public areas. The Israeli army said it had killed 13,000 militants without providing any evidence to support this claim.