Hassan Al-Warfalli (Cairo)
The mediators are preparing to present a “new paper” for the negotiation terms, today, to Israel and the Palestinian factions in the hope of reaching a truce and a temporary ceasefire during the days of the holy month of Ramadan, in light of the faltering negotiations as a result of each party’s adherence to its conditions and positions in the negotiating process that has been ongoing for weeks, according to Informed sources confirmed to Al-Ittihad.
The sources explained that the dangerous humanitarian and living situation in the Gaza Strip requires pushing towards concluding a prisoner exchange deal that would push towards a complete and comprehensive ceasefire, and would be an incentive to completely restore security and stability in the region.
CIA Director William Burns continues his meetings in the region, as part of efforts to conclude a humanitarian truce in Gaza, where he discussed with Mossad Director David Barnea during the past hours ways to bring more humanitarian aid into Gaza, and details of his discussions in Cairo and Doha during the past two days. To discuss moving the negotiating track between Israel and the Palestinian factions, as an Arab diplomatic source confirmed to the Union.
The source explained that Cairo conveyed several messages to the American side regarding the need for the Israeli side to make concessions that include stopping the war on Gaza, for humanitarian considerations, with the number of dead and injured exceeding more than 100,000 Palestinians, with the complete destruction of the infrastructure that requires billions of dollars to rebuild.
The source indicated that the Qatari side conveyed to the United States the details of the discussions held by the mediators during the past hours with the Palestinian factions.
Meanwhile, residents of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip said that Israel bombed one of the largest residential towers in the city yesterday, in an escalation of pressure on the last area in the Strip that has not yet been invaded, where more than a million displaced Palestinians reside.
The building, consisting of 12 floors, was damaged as a result of the attack. Residents said that dozens of families were left homeless, without any injuries reported.
A resident of the tower, where about 300 people lived, told Reuters that Israel gave them a warning and gave them 30 minutes to flee the building at night.
Residents expressed their fear that striking the tower in Rafah was an indication of an imminent Israeli attack on the city, where more than half of the Gaza Strip's population of 2.3 million people are sheltering. Israel says it plans to carry out operations in this area. But Israel's pledge not to begin operations until civilians are evacuated did not succeed in allaying international concerns.
Five months after the start of Israel's ongoing air and ground attack on Gaza, Palestinian health authorities said that nearly 31,000 Palestinians had been killed and more than 72,500 others injured, and thousands more were feared under the rubble.
The Israeli attack led to a humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian Strip, which has already been suffering from a siege imposed by Israel for 17 years.
A large part of the Strip was turned into rubble and most of its residents were displaced, and the United Nations warned of the spread of disease and famine.
In Khan Yunis, medics said that 23 people were killed in army raids on homes and in an Israeli bombing of a housing project in the city. In the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli fire killed a Palestinian fisherman on the beach, according to medics.
Fears are increasing about the escalation of violence during the month of Ramadan in the occupied West Bank as well, as Israel has intensified its raids amid attacks carried out by Palestinians in the streets.
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