At a meeting of several foreign ministers of Western and Arab states in Riyadh next Monday, efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of hostages held by Hamas will be discussed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is traveling to Saudi Arabia on his way back from a visit to China, wants to discuss the conflict with regional partners, according to his office.
Among those expected are German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The ministers will meet in Riyadh on the sidelines of the Open Forum, an economic conference organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) that will focus on, among other things, the environment, health and finance. Israel should not participate, said WEF chairman Børge Brende.
Hamas delegation travels to Cairo for talks
Also on Monday, a Hamas delegation is expected to travel to Cairo to discuss the details of a new proposal for a compromise with Israel in the Egyptian capital, a Hamas representative told the German news agency. However, hopes for an agreement in the indirect negotiations between international mediators – the Israeli government and Hamas do not hold direct talks in principle – have so far been repeatedly dashed. The focus of the talks had recently moved from Qatar to Egypt.
A response from Hamas is expected on Monday
A senior Hamas official announced on Telegram that the Islamist organization would investigate an Israeli proposal and provide a response. According to Israeli television, the Israeli government expects this on Monday. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel is ready to postpone military operations in the city of Rafah if an agreement is reached on the release of hostages held by Hamas.
US against major offensive in Rafah
The United States has repeatedly warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government against a major offensive in Rafah. The city on the border with Egypt is overcrowded with hundreds of thousands of refugees. US President Biden reiterated his clear position in a conversation with Netanyahu, the White House announced on Sunday.
The deaths of many hostages are suspected
According to Israeli media, the current draft deal is initially a limited agreement that initially only provides for the release of female, elderly and sick hostages. Hamas recently called for a permanent ceasefire, which Israel rejects. It is feared that many of the 133 hostages believed to be still in the Gaza Strip are no longer alive.
Israeli Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi discussed and approved plans to continue the war in Gaza with senior officers from the Southern Command, the military said. No further details were given. Halevi had previously approved further steps to continue the Gaza war. Israeli media also interpreted the decision as an approval of the planned offensive in Rafah.
The minister threatened to break the coalition if the Rafah operation is halted
Israel’s right-wing finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, had previously threatened to break the coalition if a military operation in Rafah was halted in favor of a hostage deal. This would be a “humiliating surrender” and a “death sentence for the hostages and an immediate existential danger to the State of Israel,” Smotrich said in a video message to Netanyahu.
According to media reports, the Israeli prime minister fears that the International Criminal Court in The Hague could issue arrest warrants against him and other Israeli leaders. The government believes that chief prosecutor Karim Khan could issue international arrest warrants this week against Netanyahu, Defense Minister Joav Galant and Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi, Israeli media reported. There was no comment from The Hague.
Since 2021, the ICC has been investigating Hamas and Israel for alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip. Violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank is also being investigated.
The Israeli army carried out further airstrikes on Hamas in the Gaza Strip this weekend. A vehicle carrying eight Hamas terrorists was hit in the central part of the coastal area, the army said on Saturday. In addition, terrorist infrastructure, observation posts and missile launch pads were attacked.
According to Hamas, more than 30,000 Palestinians were killed
The war was sparked by the unprecedented massacre of more than 1,200 deaths that terrorists from Hamas and other groups carried out in Israel on October 7 last year. The Hamas-controlled health authority estimated the number of deaths in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war on Sunday at 34,454. The figures it publishes do not distinguish between civilians and armed people and are difficult to independently verify.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
