T. Belman. I am against any deal in Gaza. Hamas should be forced to capitulate. They should not learn the lesson that if they irritate us enough we will cut a deal with them.
Broad cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas could pave way for Gaza’s reconstruction, eventual prisoner swap, says senior Hamas official • Exiled Hamas deputy leader allowed to enter Gaza after talks in Cairo • Israeli cabinet to discuss Gaza policy.
Arab media reported on Friday that Egyptian and U.N. efforts to broker a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas shifted into high gear recently, with various news outlets outlining the provisions discussed.
According to the reports, the emerging agreement includes a provision to reopen the Kerem Shalom and Rafah border crossings, the main entry points for commercial goods into the Gaza Strip from Israel and Egypt. In exchange, Hamas, which rules Gaza, would commit to a five-year cease-fire, the Lebanese paper Al-Akbar quoted Hamas officials as saying.
The goal of the agreement is also to pave the way for Gaza’s reconstruction and an eventual prisoner swap, senior Hamas officials said Thursday.
Multiple cease-fire agreements between Israel and Hamas have collapsed over the years, but after weeks of escalating violence along the Gaza-Israel border, in recent days signs have emerged of possible momentum toward a new agreement.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to postpone a trip to South America he had been scheduled to take next week, due to the tensions on the Gaza border, a government official said.
Netanyahu is expected to convene the Diplomatic Security Cabinet on Sunday to discuss the agreement and formulate policy on Gaza. Following a briefing on the developments in Gaza, the cabinet ministers will vote on the policy.
Meanwhile, a high-level Hamas delegation arrived in Gaza Thursday after holding talks in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence officials, according to a report by the Palestine Information Center, a Hamas-linked website.
Most of the Hamas leadership is based in Gaza, but it has now been joined by exiled members of the group’s political bureau, including Saleh Arouri, a founder of Hamas’ military wing in the West Bank and a mastermind of violent attacks against Israelis in the past.
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh named Arouri his deputy in October 2017.
Bassem Naim, a Gaza-based Hamas official, said, “Permitting a delegation of this level to come to Gaza is a clear sign that there are first of all guarantees that the delegation will not be targeted by the Israelis, and a sign that there are serious meetings to be held in Gaza.”
He said Hamas officials would try to “conclude the progress that has been made on files such as the truce,” as well as a U.N.-led effort to rebuild Gaza and possible reconciliation between Hamas and its domestic political rival Fatah, headed by West Bank-based Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Naim said the Hamas leaders would also talk about a possible prisoner swap with Israel.
Two other senior Hamas officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the outline of the deal proposed by Egypt.
It is not clear what role, if any, Abbas would play in Gaza under the agreement. He has said in the past that he would only resume responsibility for Gaza if Hamas agrees to hand over all authority there, including over security. Hamas has so far declined to do so.
On Wednesday, despite the renewed cease-fire efforts, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced that his ministry would ??temporarily suspend the delivery of petroleum ?fuels ?to the Gaza Strip in response to the ?Palestinians’ ongoing arson terrorism campaign.?
Israel also suspended fuel shipments to Gaza temporarily in July for similar reasons.
Incendiary balloons and kites, many of them launched from Gaza into Israel during border protests organized by Hamas, have caused fires that have devastated southern Israel’s farmland and forests.
Since late March, thousands of Gaza residents have participated in frequent protests along Israel’s perimeter fence, in protest against the Israeli blockade on Gaza, among other grievances.
In the past four months, 155 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli fire, including at least 117 in protests near the fence, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Gaza rights group Al Mezan. Others, including Hamas terrorists, have been killed in other incidents, including Israeli airstrikes. Last month, an Israeli soldier was killed by sniper fire from Gaza.
Netanyahu ?was scheduled to visit Colombia from ?Aug. 6-9 to attend the inauguration ceremony of ?President-elect Ivan Duque Marquez.?
Numerous Latin American states are expected to ?attend the Aug. 7 ceremony in Bogota. Netanyahu had been ?expected to hold a series of meetings with the ?leaders of Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina and Chile, ?among others, in an effort to bolster Israel’s ?standing in the region.?
Why when seeing a pic of saleh arouri the first name that comes to my tongue is ehud Barak former p m. The snake in the grass who qualifies as a serpent, and still spits out his vile venom. As they say in eire everyone has a twin.
I would recommend a flat no to any agreement with HAMAS. This is just s ploy to try and prevent Israel from doing what HAMAS fears most, a direct comprehensive attack on Gaza to once–and -for-all, stop their constant attacks on civilians and land. Israel signs this at their own peril it is of no value for Israel to make agreements with people that have sworn never to have peace wih them. Just plain hogwash.
@ david melech:
I totally agree. I agree 100%. these “peace (of paper) treaties are merely hudnas, mage at the convenience of Hamas, and broken whenever they feel like it. In the meantime, they’l keep up a low level, aggravating enervating series of assaults, knowing that when Israel retaliates-if it even does- they will get ample warning to get out of the area, so that a few empty cars or buildings can be destroyed for the “honour” of the IAF.
It’s a give and take kind of “agreement”. WE give..THEY take.
I noticed that just yesterday the Defense Minister Lieberman got the most brilliant idea–a really brilliant thinker. He decided to stop the balloon and kite flaming bombs by cutting off fuel to Gaza. It took him only 4 months to come to that wonderful plan. ….
I and all other half-wits thought of it 4 months ago, when the flame attacks began.
Another worthless useless piece of paper for ISRAEL to sign, be ratified by the u n to tie up ISRAELI action verse gaza and the terrorists.
if someone had 1/2 a brain it would read all previous agreements going back to 1949 and see all agreements tie ISRAEL hands.
with all the so called ISRAELI brains and all the opinion writers on tis site surely a binding contract not agreement could be written.
line 1 ‘your complete surrender’
line 2 ‘your war criminals will receive a just trial prior to being convicted and sentenced.’
line 3 ISRAEL will set all boundaries.
line 4 ISRAEL etc