The latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks concluded in Cairo after “in-depth and serious discussions”, the Hamas militant group said on Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel has again rejected.
After signs of progress, the outlook appeared dim as Israel closed its main transit point for much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza following an onslaught by Hamas militants. The defense minister claimed that Hamas was not serious about a deal and warned of “a strong operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across Gaza”.
Israel did not send a delegation to the talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said “we are seeing signs that Hamas does not intend to move forward with any deal.”
Egypt’s state media reported that the Hamas delegation left Cairo for talks in Qatar and will return to the Egyptian capital for further negotiations on Tuesday.
Another threat to the talks came as Israel ordered the local offices of Qatar’s Al Jazeera satellite news network to be closed, accusing it of broadcasting incitement against Israel. The ban does not appear to affect the channel’s operations in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under pressure from hardliners in his government, continued to play down expectations of a ceasefire deal, calling Hamas’ key demands “extreme” – including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and an end to the war . That would amount to a surrender after the October 7 Hamas attack that sparked the fighting, Netanyahu said.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement earlier that the militant group is serious and positive about the negotiations and that stopping the Israeli offensive on Gaza is the main priority.
But Israel’s government again vowed to continue a military operation in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city on the border with Egypt, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents now seek refuge from Israeli attacks. Rafa is a key entry point for help.
Kerem Shalom, now closed, is another. The Israeli military said 10 missiles were fired at the pass in southern Israel and said its warplanes later hit the source. Hamas said it had targeted Israeli soldiers in the area. Israel’s Channel 12 television reported that 10 people were injured, three seriously. It was unclear how long the crossing would be closed.
The attack came shortly after the head of the United Nations World Food Program claimed “total starvation” in devastated northern Gaza, one of the most visible warnings so far about the number of restrictions on food and other aid entering the territory. The comments were not an official hunger strike.
In wide-ranging remarks as the full NBC interview was released Sunday, WFP chief Cindy McCain said the famine was “going south” in Gaza and that Israel’s efforts to allow more aid were not enough. “We need more capacity to be able to bring in more trucks,” he said. “We have a mass at the outer border right now, about enough trucks and enough food for 1.1 million people for about three months. We have to get it in.”
Gaza’s enormous humanitarian needs put further pressure on the pursuit of a ceasefire. The proposal submitted by Egyptian mediators to Hamas sets out a three-stage process that would bring an immediate six-week ceasefire and the partial release of Israeli hostages taken in the October 7 attack, and would include some sort of Israeli withdrawal. The initial stage would last 40 days. Hamas would begin by releasing female civilian hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Netanyahu argued that Israel has shown a willingness to make concessions, but said it “will continue to fight until all its goals are achieved.” This includes the stated goal of crushing Hamas. Israel says it must target Rafah to hit remaining militants there despite warnings from the US and others about the danger to civilians.
An Israeli attack on Sunday at the home of the al-Attar family in an urban refugee camp near Rafah killed four children, including a baby and two adults, according to Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital.
In later remarks on Israel’s annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, Netanyahu added: “We will defend ourselves in every way. We will defeat our enemies and ensure our security – in the Gaza Strip, on the Lebanese border, everywhere “.
Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7 killed an estimated 1,200 people and took another 250 hostages. Israel says the militants are still holding about 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others. Netanyahu is under increasing pressure from the families of some of the hostages to make a deal to end the war and free the hostages.
The Israeli air and ground assault has killed more than 34,500 people, according to Palestinian health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and fighters but say women and children make up the majority of the dead.
Israel blames Hamas for civilian deaths, accusing it of infiltrating residential and public spaces. The Israeli military says it has killed 13,000 fighters, without providing evidence to support the claim.