There is a growing possibility that the war between Israel and Hamas, which broke out in October last year, will enter a brief truce ahead of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, next month. The negotiating team, including the United States, is known to have agreed on the general framework of a six-week ceasefire and the release of hostages and is coordinating the details. However, Israel has still not withdrawn its plan to strike Rafah, the southernmost part of Gaza, which is becoming a last-minute variable.
U.S. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan appeared on CNN on the 25th and said, “Representatives of the United States, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar have agreed on the basic outline of hostage negotiations for a temporary ceasefire,” and added, “We are coordinating specific details and will finalize the agreement within a few days.” “I hope to reach an agreement,” he said.
According to the New York Times, negotiators from each country prepared a basic plan during the negotiations in Paris last week that included, “If 40 out of about 100 Hamas hostages are released, both sides will hold a ceasefire for six weeks.” The negotiating team is expected to continue follow-up discussions based on this as early as the 26th. The negotiations reportedly include Israel releasing about 300 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages.
NYT, citing an Israeli government official, said, “The goal is to reach an agreement before the start of Ramadan,” and added, “The government accepted several conditions in the Paris negotiations, paving the way for the negotiating team to have follow-up discussions in Qatar.”
However, Israel is sticking to its recently announced Rafah ground operation plan. About 1.4 million refugees from the Gaza Strip are gathered in Rafah.
If fighting intensifies during Ramadan, anti-Israel sentiment could spread across all Muslim countries. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also warned on the 25th, “The Battle of Ramadan could lead to disastrous results,” and “It will put the entire Islamic world in explosive danger.”
The United States has also publicly opposed the Rafah airstrike without a plan to evacuate civilians. Aide Sullivan also emphasized again, “Military operations should not proceed without a clear plan to protect civilians and provide food, clothing, and shelter,” and added, “President Joe Biden has not been briefed on plans related to the Rafah attack.”
Israeli hardliners, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are continuing to make strong statements ahead of ceasefire negotiations. Prime Minister Netanyahu appeared on CBS’s ‘Face the Nation’ that day and said, “If negotiations are reached, the Rafah attack will be postponed ‘to some extent’, but it will be done in the end.” He also drew a line on ceasefire negotiations, saying, “Progress can only be made if Hamas moves away from its ‘delusional claims.’”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.