CIA, Mossad chiefs to meet on Gaza ceasefire  

The talks aim to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza that would last less than a month, with the hope that it would lead to a more permanent agreement…reports Asian Lite News

The directors of the CIA and Israel’s Mossad will meet Qatar’s prime minister in Doha on Sunday to begin negotiations for a new short term Gaza ceasefire deal and the release of some hostages by Hamas in exchange for Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners, an official briefed on the talks said.

The talks aim to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza that would last less than a month, with the hope that it would lead to a more permanent agreement, the official said. The details of which or how many hostages and prisoners would be released as part of the deal is not yet clear, the official said.

Two-day ceasefire proposed by Egypt

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to allow for the exchange of four Israeli hostages held by Hamas for a number of Palestinian prisoners.

The announcement on Sunday came as Israeli airstrikes killed 45 Palestinians across the region. During a press conference in Cairo with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President Sisi stated that negotiations should resume within 10 days of implementing a temporary ceasefire to work toward a lasting resolution.

While there has been no official response from Israel or Hamas, a Palestinian official involved in the mediation efforts told Reuters, “I expect Hamas would listen to the new offers, but it remains determined that any agreement must end the war and get Israeli forces out of Gaza.”

Israel has stated that the war will not conclude until Hamas is eliminated as both a military force and governing authority in Gaza. The US, Qatar, and Egypt have been leading diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, which erupted on October 7 last year when Hamas fighters launched an incursion into southern Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.

In Gaza, health officials report the death toll from Israel’s retaliatory air and ground strikes is nearing 43,000, with much of the densely populated territory left in ruins.

UN expresses shock

Meanwhile, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, expressed “shock” at the “horrifying levels of death, injury, and destruction” in northern Gaza.

He stated civilians are trapped under rubble, patients and the injured are being denied life-saving medical care, and families are left without food or shelter, adding that United Nations reports confirm family separations and multiple detentions.

In an official statement today, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, highlighted the “unbearable plight” of Palestinian civilians in North Gaza, noting that in recent weeks, hundreds of people have been killed, while over 60,000 have been forced to flee, many fearing they may never return.

The statement further spotlighted Israel’s continued refusal to permit essential humanitarian aid, including food, water, and shelter, into Gaza, barring minimal exceptions. This has left countless lives at risk.

The vaccination campaign against polio has also been delayed, endangering thousands of children.

The UN Secretary-General warned that the “devastation and deprivation resulting from Israel’s military operations in North Gaza – especially around Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun – are making the conditions of life untenable for the Palestinian population there.”

Guterres condemned the disregard for international humanitarian law requirements in this conflict, reiterating that all parties must prioritise the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers and first responders, whose essential work must be facilitated and protected, not impeded and jeopardised.

“In the name of humanity,” Guterres pleaded repeating his calls for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and accountability for crimes under international law.

Iran condemns Israel’s attack

Iran on Saturday condemned Israel’s precision strikes on its military sites and termed it “acts of aggression” and “blatant violation of international law.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry, in a statement, condemned the attack “in the strongest terms,” claiming the retaliatory strikes were a “blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter,” particularly the principle prohibiting the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries.

Iran stressed the use of all material and spiritual capabilities of the nation to defend its vital security interests, while also being congizant of its responsibilities for regional peace and security.

“As repeatedly emphasized by the competent authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the inherent right of self-defense, as also reflected in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers itself entitled and obliged to defend against acts of external aggression,” read the statement.

It emphasized the individual and collective responsibility of all regional countries to safeguard regional peace and stability and expresses gratitude to all peace-loving countries in the region and beyond who have condemned Israel’s aggressive actions and expressed their disgust over the regime’s warmongering posture.

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