Abdelrahman
Efforts Intensify to Restore Fragile Ceasefire
published at 17:46 Greenwich Mean Time
Malu Cursino
Live reporter
Image source, Getty Images
In Khan Younis, a war-torn region of southern Gaza, residents are gradually resuming daily routines amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire’s duration.
According to Hamas, a delegation led by their chief negotiator has arrived in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian officials to oversee the “implementation of the ceasefire agreement”.
Hamas, which has been holding Israeli hostages since October 7, 2023, indicated they will not yield to threats from either Israel or the United States.
Israel has issued warnings of a potential return to “intense fighting” if hostages are not freed by Saturday. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not specified if this warning pertains to the overall release of hostages or just the three expected to be freed this weekend.
The United States, a key ally of Israel, stated that significant repercussions would unfold if Hamas fails to release “all” hostages by the imposed deadline.
This latest rise in tensions poses a significant risk to the sustainability of the ceasefire, following Hamas’s announcement on Monday to halt the upcoming hostage release, citing alleged violations of the agreement by Israel.
The brief break from 16 months of conflict in the Gaza Strip has been positively received by the international community, with the Red Cross urging both parties to honor the truce.
As reported by a senior source in Egypt, both Cairo and Doha are “stepping up their diplomatic efforts” to sustain the ceasefire.
Furthermore, Egypt has expressed that it is formulating a “comprehensive vision” for the reconstruction of Gaza that ensures Palestinians retain their right to their land, setting it apart from the proposal introduced by former US President Donald Trump.
We are now concluding our live coverage, but there is more information available on this topic across other sections of the BBC. You can explore Egypt’s rebuilding plans, or stay updated with the latest developments in the ceasefire agreement.
Thank you for following our coverage.
