The Health Ministry said at least 27,840 people have been killed in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. (document)
Palestinian territories:
Hamas still wants to discuss a ceasefire in its war with Israel, a Palestinian official close to Hamas told AFP on Thursday, despite its initial proposal being rejected.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday dismissed the group’s ceasefire offer as “bizarre” and vowed to continue military action until “total victory.”
Palestinian officials said a Hamas delegation would meet Egyptian officials in Cairo on Thursday, who would then work with Qatari representatives to find more common ground.
The official familiar with the negotiations added: “We expect the negotiations to be very complex and difficult, but Hamas is open to discussions and the movement is eager to reach a ceasefire.”
“The two sides will conduct multiple rounds of indirect negotiations,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the sensitive issue.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials during a recent trip to the region to try to broker a deal.
On Wednesday, he called on Israel to tone down its rhetoric as the war sparked by Hamas militants’ deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7 entered its fifth month.
According to AFP statistics based on official Israeli data, about 1,160 people were killed on the Israeli side and 250 hostages were taken. Israel says 132 people remain in Gaza and 29 are believed to have died.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 27,840 people in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the health ministry said on Thursday. Civilians accounted for the majority of casualties on both sides.
Palestinian officials in Gaza said talks in the Egyptian capital would focus on the first phase of a proposed ceasefire that would last “about six weeks.”
During this period, negotiations will take place on a hostage exchange for women and children held in Israeli prisons.
“Hamas’ response, which was communicated to Egypt and Qatar and was seen by the United States and others, included offers to release detained Israeli children, women, the elderly and the sick,” the official added.
“In return, Israel will release some Palestinian prisoners, an issue that will be discussed starting today (Thursday).”
The first phase will include allowing 400 to 500 aid trucks carrying food, medicine and fuel into Gaza each day, amid widespread concerns about a humanitarian crisis in the area.
The official said talks during the first pause in fighting would seek to reach an agreement on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the return of displaced people.
“Hamas will insist that Turkey and Russia stand with Egypt, Qatar, the United States and France to ensure that the agreement is implemented at all stages, including a permanent ceasefire and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip,” the official added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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