Hamas Delegation in Cairo for Cease-fire Talks with Israel
A delegation of the militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday in ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel, while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war.
No Developments in Cease-fire Negotiations
Saturday’s cease-fire negotiations ended with no developments, a senior Hamas source close to the Cairo talks told CBS News. The source added that “tomorrow, a new round will begin.”
Israel Awaits Hamas Reply to Latest Proposal
Israel said it would not send a delegation to the talks until Hamas replies to Israel’s latest proposal. An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CBS News Saturday that “the end of the war will come with the end of Hamas in Gaza.”
CIA Director William Burns Travels to Cairo
CIA Director William Burns traveled to Cairo, Egypt, Friday for the talks, two U.S. officials, and a source familiar with the matter told CBS News. The visit follows a stretch of technical talks and a fresh proposal from Israel that U.S. officials have described as “generous.”
Swap for Hostages Key to Latest Cease-fire Deal
The latest cease-fire deal proposed by mediators hinges on a swap for hostages. Under the deal, the pause would reportedly be weeks long. For every one hostage Hamas releases, Israel would release a larger number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies in Gaza
Pressure has been mounting to reach a deal — Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is dramatically escalating while Israel insists it will launch an offensive into Rafah, the territory’s southernmost city. The stakes are high to find a halt to the nearly seven-month-long war. More than one million Palestinians are sheltering in the city of Rafah, along the border with Egypt, many having fled northern Gaza where a top U.N. official says there is now a full-blown famine.
Compromise and Key Questions for Cease-fire Deal
Egyptian and American mediators had reported signs of compromise in recent days, but chances for a cease-fire deal remain entangled with the key question of whether Israel will accept an end to the war without reaching its stated goal of destroying Hamas. Hamas has called for a complete end to the war and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.
Antony Blinken Urges Cease-fire and Return of Hostages
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was back in Israel for his seventh visit to the country since Hamas militants staged their bloody Oct. 7 terrorist attack on the Jewish state, instantly sparking the war in the group’s Gaza Strip stronghold. When he arrived, Blinken said the Biden administration was “determined” to see Hamas and Israel agree to a cease-fire in the conflict.
The White House’s Concern and U.N. Warnings
The White House has urged Netanyahu’s government to limit the scale of its operation in Rafah, and the head of the United Nations renewed his warning that a military offensive in the city would be “an unbearable escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee.”
Famine and Ongoing Conflict
The conflict erupted on Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, abducting about 250 people and killing around 1,200, mostly civilians. Gaza’s Health Ministry also on Saturday urged the International Criminal Court to investigate the death in Israeli custody of a Gaza surgeon.
Continuing Crisis and Urgent Aid Needed
In the last 24 hours, the bodies of 32 people killed by Israeli strikes have been brought to local hospitals, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday. Additionally, Gaza’s Health Ministry warned that civilians in the north, the most cut-off part of Gaza, have plunged into famine. The U.S. director of the U.N. World Food Program, Cindy McCain, said Friday that a cease-fire and a greatly increased flow of aid through land and sea routes are essential.
Plans for Evacuation and Critical Entry Point for Aid
In related developments this week, Israel briefed Biden administration officials on plans to evacuate civilians ahead of the Rafah operation, according to U.S. officials familiar with the talks. The United Nations has warned that hundreds of thousands would be “at imminent risk of death” if Israel moves forward into the densely packed city, which is also a critical entry point for humanitarian aid.
Reclaiming Aid and Famine Crisis Worsens
Israel recently opened new crossings for aid into northern Gaza, but on Wednesday, Israeli settlers blocked the first convoy before it crossed into the besieged enclave. Once inside Gaza, the convoy was commandeered by Hamas militants before U.N. officials reclaimed it.
Increase in Civilian Deaths and Israeli Arrests
The Israeli military says it has killed 13,000 militants but has also conducted mass arrests during its raids inside Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry continues to report a high number of women and children among those killed by Israeli strikes.
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