By Luis De Jesus
Apr 26, 2024, 18:07 PM EDT
The Israeli government expressed this Friday its willingness to explore a last attempt at negotiation with Hamas to reach a “temporary” truce before considering a ground invasion of the town of Rafah, in the Gaza Strip. This information comes from a report by journalist Barak Ravid of the Israeli newspaper Wallacited by the Efe news agency.
A senior Israeli official, quoted by Ravid, said there is a clear deadline for a possible raid on Rafah and that Israel will not tolerate further talks without progress with Hamas. The release of 33 kidnapped people is a key point for the ceasefire, according to the same source.
Israel conveyed to the Egyptian delegation its seriousness in preparing for an operation in Rafah and its refusal to tolerate delays on the part of Hamas.
Talks between Israel and the Egyptian mediating delegation were described as “good,” with the Egyptians expressing their intention to put pressure on Hamas to reach an agreement.
Hamas has held 133 people hostage since the October 7 attack, and it is estimated that around half could have died, Efe said.
These statements come after the visit of an Egyptian delegation to Israel in an effort to reach a truce in Gaza and stop the conflict, at a time when talks on a ceasefire are stalled.
Security sources reported that a delegation from Egypt’s Intelligence Service traveled to Israel to revitalize the truce negotiations, mediated by Cairo, Qatar and the United States.
The Egyptian efforts include a possible exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, as well as a multi-week ceasefire proposal, which will be discussed with Hamas after the return of the Tel Aviv delegation.
Israel intensified its attacks on Gaza
Amid the escalation of violence, the Israeli Army has intensified its attacks and bombings throughout the Gaza Strip, claiming the lives of 34,356 people and wounding another 77,368 in 203 days of conflict, according to Gazan authorities.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported this Friday that in the last 24 hours, five crimes perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against families in the strip were recorded. This resulted in 51 deaths and 75 injuries, the news agency reported.
In one of the most recent attacks, Israeli warplanes bombed a house in the Al Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City belonging to the Al Shawa family. Rescue teams recovered three bodies, including those of a child and a woman, from the rubble, according to Palestinian sources cited by the WAFA news agency.
Al Ahli Arab Hospital became the main healthcare institution in Gaza after the Israeli military siege put Al Shifa Hospital out of service in March.
Other bombings hit the northern neighborhoods of Zaytun and a residential building on Al Wehda Street in central Gaza City, claiming the life of another Gazan and leaving an unknown number of people injured, WAFA reported. .
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