Hamas ready for truce if Israel commits to ceasefire and possible end to war in Lebanon: 384 days of war
O Hamas declared itself ready to cease hostilities in Gaza with Israel commits to a ceasefire, said, this Thursday, a leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement, at war with the Israeli army for more than a year.
Hamas “has demonstrated its willingness to cease hostilities, but Israel must commit to a ceasefire and a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, [a permitir] the return of displaced people and [aceitar] a serious agreement for an exchange” of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners, in addition to “authorizing the entry of humanitarian aid” into Gaza, said the official, quoted by the France-Presse agency (AFP).
A Hamas delegation discussed in Cairo “ideas and proposals” for resuming negotiations with a view to a ceasefirehe added.
Israel has confirmed that it will send the leader of the Mossad secret services, David Barnea, to Doha this weekend to resume negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages.
In addition to Barnea, talks will include new head of Egyptian secret servicesHassan Mahmoud Rashad, possibly the head of the CIA’s North American secret servicesWilliam Burns, e o Prime Minister of QatarMohammed ben Abdelrahmane Al-Thani, the interlocutor of the Palestinian Islamist group, since Hamas is not directly involved.
Israeli Chief of Staff considers possible quick end to war in Lebanon
The chief of staff of the Israeli Army considered it possible to quickly end the war in Lebanon, eliminating the chain of command of the Shiite group Hezbollah, one month after the conflict escalated, after a year of cross-border crossfire.
“In the north, there is the possibility of a quick conclusion. We have completely dismantled Hezbollah’s superior chain of command,” said Herzi Halevi, in statements released today by the Israeli Army following a meeting the previous day with the commanders of the 162nd Division, which operates in Gaza Strip.
Israel killed Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, along with 17 other militia commanders in a bombing in Beirut on September 27 and a few days later killed his possible successorHashem Safieddin, in an attack on October 4, although his elimination has so far not been confirmed by either the Israeli Army or the Lebanese Shiite movement.
According to the Israeli army, several warehouses and weapons workshops belonging to Hezbollah were hit this Thursday during Wednesday night’s attacks on southern Beirut.
“All of these sites are set up by Hezbollah under and inside civilian buildings in the center of inhabited areas,” he added.
Other news that marked the day:
⇒ French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the international conference in support of Lebanon held in Paris raised one billion dollars (925 million euros) in donations of humanitarian aid and military support. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nuno Sampaio, also announced that Portugal will support Lebanon with 150 thousand euros: “75 thousand euros for the Red Cross and another 75 thousand for the United Nations”. At the same conference, the International Organization for Migration asked for a donation of 30 million euros to cover Lebanon’s urgent humanitarian needs and warned of the need to provide access to those who will save lives.
⇒ The Civil Defense of the Gaza Strip announced that it has already is unable to continue its relief work in the north from Palestinian territory due to Israeli “threats” to their teams. “We regret that we cannot continue to provide humanitarian services to the citizens of the northern Gaza Strip due to threats from the Israeli occupation forces to kill and bomb our teams if they remain in the field [de refugiados] of Jabalia”, said first aid service spokesman Mahmud Bassal, quoted by the French news agency, AFP.
⇒ At least 16 Palestinians, including four children, died following bombing by the Israeli army against a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp, in the center of the Gaza Strip. The death toll was put forward by medical sources cited by the Palestinian news agency WAFA and confirmed by the Filastin newspaper, linked to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), but the Israeli army has not yet commented. The attack also left 32 people injured.
