GAZA: The war between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip entered its 12-month Saturday with little sign of respite for the Palestinian territory or hope for Israeli captives still held captive. The chances of a ceasefire that would also free captives held by Hamas in exchange for prisoners held by Israel appear thin, with both parties sticking doggedly to their stances.
Hamas is demanding a complete Israeli forces withdrawal, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that forces must remain on a key strip of land along the Egypt-border.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar have all been mediating in an effort to bring about a truce in the conflict that has killed over 40,939 people in Gaza. According to the United Nations human rights office, most of the dead are children and women. Of 251 captives seized by Hamas during the assault, 97 remain in Gaza including 33 the Israeli army says are dead. Scores were freed during a one-week truce in November. Israel’s announcement last Sunday that the bodies of six captives including a US-Israeli citizen had been recovered shortly following being killed sparked anger in Israel.
Global pressure to end the conflict was further underlined by Friday’s shooting dead in the West Bank of a Turkish-American activist demonstrating against Israeli settlements in the occupied area. The family of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi has demanded an independent probe into her death, adding on Saturday her life “was taken unlawfully, and violently by the Israeli army”. The UN rights office stated Israeli troops killed Eygi with a “shot in the head”.
Meanwhile, the chiefs of the American and British foreign intelligence agencies have said they are “working ceaselessly” for a truce in the Gaza Strip, using a rare joint public statement to press for peace in the region.
According to the Associated Press CIA Director William Burns and MI6 head Richard Moore said their agencies had “exploited our intelligence means to push hard for de-escalation and restraint.” In an opinion piece for the Financial Times, they said a truce in Israel’s war against Hamas “could end the suffering and terrible loss of life of Palestinians and bring home the captives after 11 months of hellish confinement.”
