Will talks resume now between Israel and Hamas?
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the Gaza war were expected to resume on May 28th, Israeli sources reported, according to the New Arab and agencies.
Talks are expected to restart despite internal Israeli disputes and Israel’s ongoing massacres in Gaza – including in Rafah, where a strike on a displacement camp killed at least 45 people – further complicate matters. Israel’s war on Gaza has so far killed at least 36,096 people, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Israel seeks the release of the 121 hostages still in the Palestinian enclave, among them 37 believed dead and enters this round of indirect talks while refusing to end its war on the devastated territory, while Hamas considers this a basic condition for reaching a deal.
However, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth cited an unnamed official as saying the military operation in Rafah raises doubts about the possibility of the talks resuming.
Hamas had previously demanded that attacks in Rafah be halted in return for restarting the negotiations. It has also said that Israel must stop its war on Gaza, a request Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically rejected.
READ: Israeli strike on Gaza displacement camp leaves 40 dead
The Israeli official said there are talks with mediators Egypt and Qatar, who will convey an Israeli proposal to Hamas.
Netanyahu’s own plans to continue with the Gaza genocide and in particular the bombing of civilians in Rafah doesn’t have the support though where he needs it.
Most of the Israeli war cabinet and security chiefs support an end to the military operation in Rafah and a deal with Hamas, but Netanyahu opposes this, Channel 12 reported.
Israeli broadcaster Kan 11 reported that there are Israeli concerns that the attack on Rafah could create obstacles to renewing the Gaza negotiations.
“The fears we warned about regarding a military operation in Rafah are being realised, and are putting everything at risk,” Kan 11 quoted an unnamed foreign diplomat as saying.
Another unnamed official said: “As long as Israel does not stop the military operation in Rafah, no agreement will be reached.”
Further complicating the issue of a deal in Gaza are internal Israeli disputes and fallouts between ministers within the war cabinet, with tensions between Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and war cabinet member Benny Gantz surfacing in recent weeks.
New Arab/Maghrebi/agencies