2024-01-29 06:07:30
The meeting held in Paris this Sunday (01/28/2024) by representatives of the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Israel to reach a new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was “constructive”, stated the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. , adding that there are still “disagreements” between the parties, which “will continue discussing this week in other meetings,” the text noted.
“The intelligence summit in Europe recently concluded” in which the heads of Israeli Intelligence participated along with the heads of the American CIA, as well as the Qatari prime minister and the head of Egyptian Intelligence, says the statement, which maintains that “the There are important gaps regarding which the parties will continue to discuss” this coming week.
The meetings, which began on Saturday, seek to move towards an agreement that includes a truce in the fighting and the release of hostages held by the Islamist movement Hamas – considered terrorist by the European Union – in the Gaza Strip. According to the media, the purpose of the meetings is to reach “a starting point” to start conversations, which demonstrates the exploratory nature of the meetings.
Nobody gives in
In recent weeks, several proposals designed by Qatar, Egypt and the US, the mediating countries, were put on the table, but all were rejected by Israel and Hamas. Israel does not accept an end to hostilities, only a temporary ceasefire that allows the release of hostages, and then continues with its objective of dismantling Hamas, which demands the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
The parties reached a truce agreement for a week, between November 24 and 30, which stopped the fighting and allowed the exchange of 105 hostages, including foreigners, for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners. Now, there are 132 hostages left inside the Strip, of which it is estimated that regarding 25 might be dead. Netanyahu faces strong pressure from the hostages’ families, who demand that he negotiate a pact for their release at any price.
Regarding the agreement discussed in Paris, the newspaper New York Times reported a possible first 30-day truce that would allow the release of women and elderly and wounded hostages. At that time, the parties would negotiate a second phase that would also last 30 days and allow the release of the men and soldiers. According to the newspaper, the agreement would also include the release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
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