Indirect Gaza ceasefire talks resume in Doha, Hamas affirms commitment to agreement
As the war in Gaza enters its 456th day, Bassem Naim, a senior leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), confirmed that a new round of indirect talks on a potential ceasefire has resumed in Doha. Naim stressed the movement’s seriousness in reaching an agreement, stating, “We will focus on the agreement leading to a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the details of implementation, and the return of displaced persons to their homes from which they were expelled in all areas of the Strip.”
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported on Saturday that Israeli forces had committed four massacres in the past 24 hours, resulting in 59 deaths and 273 injuries. The ongoing violence has brought the death toll to 45,717 and the number of injuries to 108,856 since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, 2023. The Civil Defense teams recovered the bodies of six individuals after Israeli forces targeted a civilian car in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. Israeli military vehicles have also been carrying out limited incursions into areas east of Deir al-Balah and the al-Bureij camp since Friday evening.
The human rights catastrophe in Gaza was condemned by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, who stated, “The human rights catastrophe continues in the Gaza Strip in full view of the world, as a result of the genocide committed by Israel for about 15 months.” Turk criticized Israel’s targeting of hospitals, adding, “The demolition of hospitals in the Gaza Strip goes beyond simply depriving Palestinians of their right to adequate health care, as hospitals provide shelter for thousands of people who have nowhere else to go.” He further noted, “The deliberate destruction of health facilities may amount to a form of collective punishment, and may constitute a war crime if it is part of a widespread campaign or systematic attack on the civilian population. These acts may also constitute crimes against humanity.”
In related news, Axios reported that the US State Department has unofficially informed Congress of a potential $8 billion arms deal to Israel, which includes ammunition for fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery shells. According to the website, this deal “may be the last arms sale to the Israeli occupation approved by the administration of US President Joe Biden.”
The post Indirect Gaza ceasefire talks resume in Doha, Hamas affirms commitment to agreement appeared first on Dailynewsegypt.