Gaza ceasefire talks underway in Paris, supply says By Reuters

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Bassam Masoud

CAIRO/RAFAH, Gaza Strip (Reuters) -Gaza truce talks had been underneath approach in Paris on Friday, in what seems to be probably the most severe push for weeks to halt the combating within the battered Palestinian enclave and see Israeli and international hostages launched.

A supply briefed on the ceasefire talks, who couldn’t be recognized by identify or nationality, mentioned talks had begun with Israel’s head of Mossad intelligence service assembly individually with every get together – Qatar, Egypt and United States.

“There are budding indicators of optimism about with the ability to transfer ahead towards the beginning of a severe negotiation,” the supply mentioned. Egypt’s Al Qahera TV Information additionally reported that the talks had begun.

An official from Hamas mentioned the militant group had wrapped up ceasefire talks in Cairo and was now ready to see what mediators deliver again from the weekend talks with Israel.

Mediators have ramped up efforts to safe a ceasefire in Gaza, within the hope of heading off an Israeli assault on the Gaza metropolis of Rafah the place greater than one million displaced persons are sheltering on the southern fringe of the enclave.

Israel says it’ll assault town if no truce settlement is reached quickly. Washington has referred to as on its shut ally not to take action, warning of huge civilian casualties if an assault on town goes forward.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh met Egyptian mediators in Cairo to debate a truce this previous week on his first go to since December. Israel is now anticipated to take part in talks this weekend in Paris with U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

Two Egyptian safety sources confirmed that Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel would head on Friday to Paris for the talks with the Israelis, after wrapping up talks with Hamas chief Haniyeh on Thursday. Israel has not publicly commented on the Paris talks.

The Hamas official, who requested to not be recognized, mentioned the militant group didn’t provide any new proposal on the talks with the Egyptians, however was ready to see what the mediators introduced again from their upcoming talks with the Israelis.

“We mentioned our proposal with them (the Egyptians) and we’re going to wait till they return from Paris,” the Hamas official mentioned.

The final time comparable talks had been held in Paris, at the beginning of February, they produced a top level view for the primary prolonged ceasefire of the conflict, accredited by Israel and the USA. Hamas responded with a counterproposal, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then rejected as “delusional”.

Hamas, which remains to be believed to be holding greater than 100 hostages seized within the Oct. 7 assault on Israel that triggered the conflict, says it’ll free them solely as a part of a truce that ends with an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel says it won’t pull out till Hamas is eradicated.

Late on Thursday, Netanyahu offered his safety cupboard with an official plan for Gaza as soon as the combating stops. He emphasised that Israel expects to take care of safety management over the enclave after destroying Hamas, and in addition sees no position there for the Palestinian Authority (PA) primarily based within the West Financial institution.

Washington favours a job for a reformed PA.

Two Palestinian officers accustomed to the negotiations mentioned Hamas has not modified its stance within the newest push to succeed in a deal, and nonetheless calls for {that a} truce finish with an Israeli pullout.

RAFAH UNDER FIRE

Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas throughout Gaza Strip in a single day, residents and well being officers mentioned. The Gaza well being ministry mentioned 104 folks had been killed and 160 others had been wounded in Israeli navy strikes up to now 24 hours.

The Israeli navy mentioned it had killed dozens of militants and seized weapons throughout Gaza since Thursday.

In Rafah, the place over half of Gaza’s 2.3 million persons are sheltering, an Israeli air strike on a home killed 10 folks.

At a morgue in Rafah, a household knelt by the physique of their baby, killed by in a single day Israeli strikes. They tenderly touched and stroked the small physique via a shroud.

Airstrikes additionally killed civilians in a single day in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, one of many few different areas but to be stormed by the Israelis. In video obtained by Reuters, bereaved households crowded a hospital, the place Ahmed Azzam held up the physique of his lifeless child son wrapped in a shroud, shouting: “You killed them Netanyahu. You killed this harmless baby!”

Israel says it’s doing its greatest to reduce hurt to civilians because it battles militants in city areas.

Not less than 29,514 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct.7, the Gaza well being ministry mentioned on Friday.

Israel launched its months-long navy marketing campaign after militants from Hamas-ruled Gaza killed 1,200 folks and took 253 hostages in southern Israel on Oct 7.