New Round of Israel-Hamas Peace Talks on Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Begins
Khan Yunis, Gaza — According to Egypt, discussions have begun on Thursday between Israel and Hamas regarding the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. These talks commenced before the first phase of the agreement expires on Saturday, helping to avoid a major crisis.
Officials from Israel, Qatar, and the United States have initiated "in-depth discussions" for the second phase during a meeting in Cairo, as reported by Egypt’s state-run news agency.
"The mediators are discussing ways to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which will help alleviate the suffering of the people and support stability in the region," the statement said.
The second-phase discussions will primarily focus on ending the war, releasing all remaining prisoners in Gaza, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. So far, Israel claims that 59 prisoners are in captivity, with 24 believed to be alive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed the intention to continue the war with the goal of destroying Hamas’s governance and military capabilities. Despite the war, Hamas has maintained some strength and declared that it will not relinquish its weapons.
At the same time, during the first phase, Hamas released over 600 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the bodies of four Israeli prisoners. Earlier, some Israeli prisoners were also released.
Meanwhile, in Israel, at least 8 people were injured in a car attack.
A car driver in northern Israel carried out an attack by driving over people at a highway bus stop, injuring at least 8 people, with two in critical condition. Police stated that the attacker was a 53-year-old Palestinian citizen, who lived in Israel and was married to an Israeli citizen.
