CAIRO: Ceasefire talks between Palestinian resistance group Hamas and international mediators broke up on Tuesday in Cairo with no breakthrough, leaving the prospect of a truce in Gaza uncertain as the start of the holy month of Ramadan looms just days away.
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim told Reuters that the Palestinian resistance group had presented its proposal for a ceasefire agreement to the international mediators during two days of talks, and was now waiting for a response from the Israelis, who stayed away from this round.
With Israeli representatives abstaining from the talks, Bassem Naim pointedly remarked that the onus was now on the United States to exert pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to engage in negotiations.
Israel’s decision to refrain from participation reportedly stemmed from Hamas’s refusal to comply with its demand for a comprehensive list of living hostages. Naim argued that such a list was unattainable without first securing a ceasefire, given the dispersed nature of hostages across the conflict zone.
The talks in Cairo had been anticipated as the final hurdle in achieving the war’s first extended ceasefire—a 40-day truce aimed at facilitating the release of hostages and bolstering aid efforts to mitigate a looming famine before Ramadan starts.
Egyptian security sources, as cited by Reuters, said ongoing communication with Israeli counterparts in hopes of sustaining negotiations in the absence of an Israeli delegation.
US Reiterates Support for Israeli-approved Ceasefire Deal
Meanwhile, Washington reiterated its support for an Israeli-approved ceasefire deal, urging the Palestinian resistance group to accept it. However, Hamas contested this narrative, accusing Israel of attempting to shift blame if the talks falter without a resolution.
As diplomatic efforts falter, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate. With over 30,000 Palestinians being killed since the start of the conflict, Gaza is now grappling with famine. Aid supplies, already severely restricted, have dwindled further in recent weeks, leaving entire regions cut off from essential provisions. Hospitals, overwhelmed by the influx of casualties, are now witnessing the tragic deaths of children due to malnutrition and dehydration.
The situation is particularly dire in northern Gaza, inaccessible to aid agencies and media coverage. Gaza health authorities reported 15 child fatalities attributed to malnutrition or dehydration at a single hospital.
Israel maintains its willingness to increase aid delivery through designated checkpoints on the territory’s southern border. However, aid agencies assert that the breakdown of law and order, coupled with the Israeli military presence in Gaza, impedes effective distribution.
Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, lamented the anguish of parents and medical professionals faced with the reality of life-saving aid being kept out of reach.
