CAIRO: Hamas and two other Palestinian militant groups said on Saturday that a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel is “closer than ever,” provided Israel does not impose new conditions.
Last week, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States were held in Doha, rekindling hope of an agreement.
“The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal) is closer than ever, provided the enemy stops imposing new conditions,” Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said in a rare joint statement issued after talks in Cairo on Friday.
A Hamas leader told AFP on Saturday that talks had made “significant and important progress” in recent days.
“Most points related to the ceasefire and prisoner exchange issues have been agreed upon,” he said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.
“Some unresolved points remain, but they do not hinder the process. The agreement could be finalized before the end of this year, provided it is not disrupted by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s new conditions.”
He said that if an agreement is reached it will be implemented in phases, ending with “a serious prisoner exchange deal, a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal (of Israeli forces) from Gaza.”
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was “hopeful” for a deal, but avoided making any predictions as to when it would actually materialize.
“I don’t want to hazard a guess as to what the probability is,” he said at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“It should happen. It needs to happen. We need to get people home,” he said, referring to the release of hostages under a ceasefire deal.
Palestinian militants led by Hamas abducted 251 hostages during their attack on Israel on October 7 last year. Of those, 96 are still held in Gaza, including 36 the Israeli military says are dead.
Efforts to strike a truce and hostage release deal have repeatedly failed over key stumbling blocks.
Despite numerous rounds of indirect talks, Israel and Hamas have agreed just one truce, which lasted for a week at the end of 2023.
Negotiations have faced multiple challenges since then, with the primary point of contention being the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.
Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that he does not want to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land cleared and controlled by Israel along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Another unresolved issue is the governance of post-war Gaza.
It remains a highly contentious issue, including within the Palestinian leadership.
Israel has said repeatedly that it will not allow Hamas to run the territory ever again.
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Hamas, two other Palestinian groups say Gaza ceasefire deal ‘closer than ever’
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Hamas, two other Palestinian groups say Gaza ceasefire deal ‘closer than ever’
- Last week, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States were held in Doha
Red Cross launches Iran emergency appeal as needs soar
- Appeal for $51.5 million to help support five million people through the next 16 months
- Emergency appeal funds will go toward shelter support, providing relief items, health services and maintaining water and sanitation services
GENEVA: Humanitarian needs in Iran are growing sharply due to the war, the Red Cross said Tuesday as it launched an emergency appeal for more than $50 million.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said its appeal for 40 million Swiss francs ($51.5 million) would help support five million people through the next 16 months.
“Across the country, communities are facing growing humanitarian needs related to health care, shelter, water and sanitation, and mental health and psychosocial support,” the IFRC said.
The funds will help the national Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) to prioritize those directly affected by the war, and deal with infrastructure damage and disruptions to essential services.
“With humanitarian needs growing sharply with every passing day, this emergency appeal will help scale up lifesaving assistance and get support to those most affected,” Maria Martinez, the IFRC’s delegation chief in Iran, said in a statement.
The United States and Israel launched their first wave of attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering a war that has seen Iran strike targets in multiple countries around the Gulf.
“The Iranian Red Crescent Society immediately mobilized its network of staff and volunteers to respond to communities affected by the hostilities,” said Martinez.
“This work on the ground by the IRCS and the IFRC is vital to saving lives — every moment counts.”
The IFRC said that 529 IRCS branches were undertaking emergency response operations across 30 provinces and 197 cities.
More than 2,100 response teams and over 6,500 staff and volunteers have been deployed, it said, while emergency teams have been carrying out search and rescue operations.
The emergency appeal funds will go toward shelter support, providing relief items, health services and maintaining water and sanitation services.
The Geneva-based IFRC has already allocated 1.5 million Swiss francs from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund to support immediate life-saving activities in Iran.
The IFRC, which has more than 17 million volunteers in more than 191 countries, is the world’s largest humanitarian network.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said its appeal for 40 million Swiss francs ($51.5 million) would help support five million people through the next 16 months.
“Across the country, communities are facing growing humanitarian needs related to health care, shelter, water and sanitation, and mental health and psychosocial support,” the IFRC said.
The funds will help the national Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) to prioritize those directly affected by the war, and deal with infrastructure damage and disruptions to essential services.
“With humanitarian needs growing sharply with every passing day, this emergency appeal will help scale up lifesaving assistance and get support to those most affected,” Maria Martinez, the IFRC’s delegation chief in Iran, said in a statement.
The United States and Israel launched their first wave of attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering a war that has seen Iran strike targets in multiple countries around the Gulf.
“The Iranian Red Crescent Society immediately mobilized its network of staff and volunteers to respond to communities affected by the hostilities,” said Martinez.
“This work on the ground by the IRCS and the IFRC is vital to saving lives — every moment counts.”
The IFRC said that 529 IRCS branches were undertaking emergency response operations across 30 provinces and 197 cities.
More than 2,100 response teams and over 6,500 staff and volunteers have been deployed, it said, while emergency teams have been carrying out search and rescue operations.
The emergency appeal funds will go toward shelter support, providing relief items, health services and maintaining water and sanitation services.
The Geneva-based IFRC has already allocated 1.5 million Swiss francs from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund to support immediate life-saving activities in Iran.
The IFRC, which has more than 17 million volunteers in more than 191 countries, is the world’s largest humanitarian network.
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