The new signs of progress came ahead of a summit this weekend in Paris, where mediators are expected to offer a new proposal. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been struggling for weeks to find a formula that could halt Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza but now face an unofficial deadline as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches.
White House Middle East envoy Brett McGurk held talks throughout yesterday with Israeli leaders and families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Spokesman John Kirby said the talks were constructive: “The initial indications we’re getting from Brett are these discussions are going well.”
A Western diplomat involved in the efforts said both sides wanted a pause. “What we have heard from our partners is that they are willing to give concessions,” she said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Time is pressing them.”
Recent Israeli strikes killed more than 70 people in southern and central Gaza, Palestinian health officials said yesterday.
Tensions were also rising in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where three Palestinian gunmen opened fire on morning traffic at a highway checkpoint yesterday, killing one man and wounding five others, Israeli police said.
The destruction caused by an Israeli strike on residential buildings in Rafah, Gaza Strip, yesterday. Photo / AP
Israel declared war on Gaza after Hamas militants stormed across the border on October 7, killing about 1200 people and taking 250 others hostage. The Israeli offensive has left more than 29,000 Palestinians dead, caused widespread destruction, displaced an estimated 80 per cent of Gaza’s population and fuelled a humanitarian disaster.
Roughly half the hostages were freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November. About 100 remain in captivity. Thirty 30 others were killed on October 7 or have died in captivity.
Israel is demanding the release of the remaining hostages as part of any pause in fighting and has vowed to press ahead until Hamas’ military and governing capabilities are destroyed. Hamas wants an end to the war, a full withdrawal of troops and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the Hamas demands as “delusional”. But in recent days, Israeli leaders have begun to voice cautious optimism and Hamas has signalled it is softening its demands.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a member of Israel’s three-man War Cabinet, indicated some flexibility. “We will expand the authority given to our hostage negotiators,” he said.
At the same time, he warned that the Israeli army “is preparing the continuation of intense ground operations”.
Benny Gantz, who sits on the War Cabinet with Gallant and Netanyahu, has said that, if there is no hostage deal, Israel will begin a ground offensive into Gaza’s southernmost town, Rafah, during Ramadan, which begins around March 10.
A top Hamas official, meanwhile, voiced hope for “lots of breakthroughs” soon.
More than half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million is crowded into Rafah after fleeing fighting and bombardment elsewhere in the territory. Israel has said it will evacuate them before attacking. But it is not clear where they would go, with much of the rest of the tiny Mediterranean enclave consumed in combat.
The US has urged Israel not to invade Rafah – believed to be Hamas’ last major stronghold – without a plan to protect civilians. Kirby said McGurk was pressing Israel for details on its “thinking” about the operation.
An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires a shell from southern Israel towards the Gaza Strip. Photo / AP
The heads of 13 United Nations agencies and five other aid groups have issued a joint plea for a ceasefire, warning that an attack on Rafah will bring “mass casualties” and could “deal a death blow” to humanitarian operations in Gaza. Earlier this week, the World Food Programme had to halt food deliveries to northern Gaza because of increasing chaos.
If growing outbreaks of infectious disease become severe, they could ultimately cause more deaths than the offensive, Richard Brennan, the World Health Organisation’s regional emergency director, said. “Infectious disease is a major concern for us in Gaza.”
The foreign ministers of 26 European countries called yesterday for a pause in fighting leading to a longer ceasefire.
‘Encouraging’ signs of ceasefire
Both the unnamed Western diplomat and an Egyptian official said they had seen “encouraging” signs from Israel and Hamas.
The Egyptian official said Egypt, Qatar and the US would craft a renewed proposal at the talks in Paris this weekend.
Mediators managed to water down demands from both sides, including the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel would release in return for women and elderly hostages during a preliminary six-week ceasefire. “The discussions are encouraging,” he said.
Another sticking point was whether displaced Palestinians could return to their homes in northern Gaza. He said Israel, which is still fighting in areas of the north, was showing flexibility.
He also said both sides agreed to continue indirect negotiations for a permanent ceasefire – something Israeli officials in public have ruled out.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, said the negotiations were focused on “our people”. He called for Palestinians to be allowed to return to their homes in northern Gaza and a “redeployment” of Israeli forces from residential areas.
“If this is achieved, things can move in an excellent and good way,” he said. “Therefore, we say there might be lots of breakthroughs in the near future.”
Israeli media said the War Cabinet agreed yesterday to send a delegation to the Paris talks.
The remains of homes and a mosque in Rafah yesterday after an Israeli strike. Photo / AP
West Bank shooting and Ramadan tensions
Yesterday’s checkpoint shooting on a West Bank highway involved three gunmen opening fire on cars in the morning rush-hour jam. An Israeli in his 20s was killed and five others wounded, including a pregnant woman. Security forces killed two of the gunmen and detained the third, police said.
Hamas praised the attack in Jerusalem and said it was a “natural response” to Israel’s war in Gaza and raids in the West Bank. But it did not claim responsibility for the attack.
Tensions are rising in the West Bank ahead of Ramadan, which in the past has seen increased clashes, often in connection to restrictions imposed on worshippers going to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City during the holy month.
Israel’s hardline national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has called for tight restrictions on Muslim prayers this year. But no final decisions have been made.
Tempers are likely to be even more volatile this year over the Gaza war and spiralling violence in the West Bank.
Gaza bombardment continues
Palestinian health officials said yesterday that at least 27 people were killed in airstrikes in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah.
A small child was taken to hospital on a stretcher while a youth, covered in black soot, was treated as he sat on the floor in the entrance to the building.
Strikes in central and southern Gaza earlier in the day killed at least 48, including 14 children and eight women, according to hospital officials.
