Gaza ceasefire talks to resume next week, after start of Muslim holy month

A Hamas delegation on Thursday left Cairo amid ongoing negotiations with Egyptian mediators to reach a temporary cease-fire agreement with Israel. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters news agency that Israel had rejected the terrorist group’s demands to withdraw its forces from Gaza as part of a truce agreement. Israel did not immediately comment on the negotiations. Leaders from Egypt and Qatar have been trying to secure a 40-day truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins this weekend.

What are the terms of the proposal? A potential cease-fire agreement put forward by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt would require Hamas to release 40 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. While Israel had agreed to the framework of the deal, Egyptian officials told the Associated Press that Hamas wanted a commitment that the cease-fire would lead to a more permanent deal. Israel has vowed to continue fighting until it destroys the Hamas terrorist organization.

What about aid deliveries? The Turkish Red Crescent—its equivalent of the Red Cross—on Thursday sent its largest aid shipment so far to Gaza via Egypt. Meanwhile, the United States and other countries have delivered aid to the region through airdrops as ground deliveries have been difficult. South Africa on Wednesday asked the International Court of Justice to order a stop in fighting to ensure humanitarian supplies reach the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Dig deeper: Read A.S. Ibrahim’s column in WORLD Opinions about why Israel needs to control the city of Rafah.