Hamas delegation in Egypt for new ceasefire talks
A Hamas delegation travelled to Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials to explore new proposals for a ceasefire with Israel, France 24 via AFP reported on April 22nd.
A senior Hamas official said: “The delegation will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss new ideas aimed at reaching a ceasefire.” The visit follows Hamas’s rejection of Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal.
The talks face the risk of being stalled, as Hamas insists on a permanent end to the conflict, while Israel continues to propose only a temporary truce and demands the group’s disarmament, conditions Hamas rejects, Middle East Eye reported on April 23rd.
Meanwhile, Israeli air and ground attacks continued across Gaza, having resumed on March 18th after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli air strikes killed at least 25 people since dawn on April 22nd. In Khan Younis, a strike on a home killed nine people and wounded some others. Six people were trapped beneath the rubble.
Separate strikes killed nine more in Jabalia refugee camp, including five in a tent sheltering displaced individuals. In Al-Shati refugee camp, five people were killed by a strike. Two additional deaths occurred in Rafah.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal confirmed the destruction of over ten homes. The Israeli military has not immediately commented on these most recent strikes.
Since the offensive resumed, Israeli forces have killed at least 1,864 people, bringing the total death toll in Gaza to at least 51,240 since the conflict started, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The conflict began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7th 2023, killing 1,218 people, mainly civilians.
Eighteen months into the war, Gaza faces a worsening humanitarian crisis. The UN has warned of escalating hunger, as the Israeli blockade continues to restrict aid access.
France 24 via AFP, Middle East Eye
