GAZA: In a sign that mediators believe a Gaza truce agreement is imminent, a US official said Friday that negotiators in the region are working out logistics for the possible release of captives and distribution of assistance as part of any deal to end the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The official told the media on the condition of anonymity that the proposal currently on the table basically bridges every gap between Hamas and Israel and mediators were making preparations before a final agreement is approved.
It was noy clear what steps were being taken, but the official added a new “implementation cell” was being set up in Cairo in advance. The aim of the cell is to focus on logistics, including freeing captives, providing humanitarian help for the Gaza Strip as well as ensuring that the terms of the agreement are met, the official maintained.
The remarks came hours following mediators hoped that an agreement was within reach. They added that two days of dialogues had wrapped up in Doga and that they plan to reconvene in Cairo, Egypt next week to seal a deal to stop the war.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk expressed deep concern over the scale of casualties and destruction resulting from Israel’s ongoing brutal assault on the Gaza Strip, which began in October. According to the Gaza health ministry, Israel has killed more than 40,005 Palestinians including women and children while more than 92,401 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip.
