Capitals (Union, Agencies)
Today, Thursday, the Egyptian capital, Cairo, will host a new round of truce negotiations in Gaza, following an Egyptian confirmation that Cairo calls on all parties to show the necessary flexibility to reach truce and a ceasefire in the Strip.
An official Egyptian source said, “Cairo is making every effort to reach a truce in the Gaza Strip, release prisoners and detainees, and end the humanitarian crisis in the Strip.” An informed source added that the Palestinians informed the mediators, Egypt and Qatar, of their agreement to participate in the Cairo negotiations, which are discussing a ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, welcomed the emergence of what he described as “initial indicators of a possible breakthrough” in the negotiations aimed at a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of detainees.
In statements to reporters in Geneva, published by the United Nations, Griffiths indicated the possibility of establishing a long truce to allow the release of detainees in Gaza and the release of Palestinian detainees. He added, “This stage may be followed by another period of calm that may lead to an end to the war that has been ongoing since the seventh of last October.”
In turn, an Israeli government spokesman said, “Officials are studying with interest a new truce proposal in Gaza presented by Qatari negotiators.” Spokesman Avi Heyman added to reporters: “We received an update on the matter. We received notification from the Qatari negotiators. We are studying it. The Mossad is studying with interest what was presented to us.”
This comes as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is on his fifth tour in the Middle East since the war began on October 7. Yesterday, Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, after he had visited Egypt and Qatar the day before.
Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Taiani affirmed his country's support for the ongoing international and regional efforts to reach an end to the war in Gaza and work for peace.
Tayani wrote in his account on the “X” platform, “Italy provides support with conviction for the negotiations for the release of prisoners, a ceasefire in Gaza, and the definition of a political horizon leading to a two-state solution.” He added: “The Italian government is working to bring peace to the Middle East.”
In another context, Kate Forbes, the new president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, inspected the Rafah land crossing and aid stores destined for Gaza in the city of Al-Arish. Kate Forbes listened to an explanation from Egyptian Red Crescent officials about how to receive aid, its types, methods of storing it, loading it on trucks, and transporting it to the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian Red Crescent officials also reviewed the number of trucks that entered the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the events and the procedures followed for entry. After visiting the logistics warehouses in the city of Al-Arish, Forbes visited the Rafah land crossing and crossed into the Gaza Strip in a solidarity visit to the Strip that lasted several hours.
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