Shaaban Bilal (Gaza, Cairo)
Yesterday, several areas in the Gaza Strip were subjected to bloody bombardment, amid continuing battles between Palestinian factions and Israel, while doubts are growing about the possibility of reaching a truce with both sides adhering to their conditions that may hinder the resumption of negotiations called for by the mediators.
Violent battles continued in areas in the north, center and south of the Gaza Strip, after nearly 8 months of war.
Yesterday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health revealed that the number of casualties as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for the 241st day has risen to about 120,000 dead and wounded.
She said: The toll of the aggression has risen to 36,479 dead and 82,777 wounded since the seventh of last October, pointing out that thousands of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.
The Palestinian News Agency, Wafa, said in a previous report yesterday, citing medical sources, that 21 people were killed since Monday dawn in separate raids on the central and southern Gaza Strip.
An Israeli government spokesman confirmed yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considered US President Joe Biden’s proposal to release hostages in the Gaza Strip “incomplete.”
On Friday, Biden presented a three-stage Israeli plan to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip, release detainees in Gaza, and rebuild what was destroyed by the war.
Government spokesman David Mincer quoted Netanyahu as saying: “The broad outlines presented by President Biden are incomplete,” noting that “the war will stop with the aim of returning the hostages, and then discussions will take place on how to achieve the goal of the war.”
In a separate statement issued by Netanyahu’s office, it was stated that “allegations that we agreed to a ceasefire without meeting our conditions are incorrect.”
In turn, the Palestinian factions said that they are “preparing themselves to respond positively to the American proposal if they obtain written guarantees that force Israel to abide by any agreement with them.”
A Palestinian source and one of those familiar with the progress of the indirect negotiations process with Israel said: “The factions view positively the proposal presented by US President Joe Biden, especially since it includes the majority of their demands, but we will not give our final response unless we obtain official and written guarantees.”
The Palestinian source, who preferred to remain anonymous, added, “The factions believe that Biden’s proposal could be a prelude to putting a final end to the Israeli war on Gaza if he exerts official pressure on Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Experts and political analysts stressed the importance of the success of mediation efforts to cease fire in Gaza, especially in light of the American proposal for calm, explaining that the humanitarian situation imposes on all parties the necessity of responding to the road map to end the war.
Palestinian political analyst, Jihad Harb, believed that US President Joe Biden’s proposal is an opportunity for all parties that could form the basis for any negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli parties, and could provide an opportunity for global efforts to reach an end to the war.
Harb added, in a statement to Al-Ittihad, that the parties of the Israeli government are still emphasizing the war goals they set after October 7, which indicate that Israel is unwilling to reach an agreement despite mediation efforts and Biden’s announcement.
Harb continued: “Hopes are still pinned on the possibility of both parties accepting in principle the road map announced by the American President in order to reach an agreement for the coming period,” praising the continuing Arab efforts to make the announced proposal to end the war a success.
He expressed his hope that these efforts would be crowned with success, especially since the Palestinians now need to calm down and return to their homes, miss their loved ones, and gradually return to life without Israeli bombing and death following them wherever they are.
In this context, Dr. Muhammad Al-Masalha, professor of political science at the University of Jordan, explained that the ceasefire proposal is important to stop the war in Gaza, pointing out the importance of mediation efforts at this stage to soften the position of the parties to accept the proposal and ceasefire.
He told Al-Ittihad: The cost of the war has become great for Israel at home and abroad, with the Palestinian issue emerging on the world’s agenda again, and in return, civilians in Palestine are being exposed to death and they want to stop the war.
The Jordanian political and strategic analyst, Dr. Amer Al-Sabaila, considered that implementing the American proposal is not easy in light of the presence of multiple obstacles on the ground, explaining that the idea of stopping the war is important, and it is now prevalent in the current American administration.
Al-Sabaila stressed, in a statement to Al-Ittihad, that no regional stability in the Middle East can be achieved except by stopping the war in Gaza, explaining that the diplomatic proposal is unable to stop what is happening on the ground, but they remain important attempts and can be implemented if approved. the parties.
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