Gaza Peace Talks Appear To Gain Momentum On The War’s Anniversary

KAIL (AP) – Peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed on Tuesday in an Egyptian holiday. Two -year anniversary From the surprise attack on Israel, which started the war that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip of the militant group.

Red Sea Facility The second day of indirect negotiations in Sharm al-Sheikh Plan proposed by US President Donald Trump It aims to end the war last week.

Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior HAMAS official, said that Egypt’s Qahera TV, Hamas, about 20 of them believed that Israel was alive, said he wanted a permanent ceasefire as part of the agreement to return 48 hostages.

It looked like a first public appearance since an Israeli strike Targeting him and other best Hamas leaders In Qatar last month, he killed six people, including his son and office manager.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted Trump’s plan, which required the immediate release of hostages. The plan also requires Gaza to be under international governance and the disarmament of Hamas, the factors that the militants have not yet accepted.

Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday, Israel said that it was “prudent optimistic ve and framing the talks as technical negotiations on a plan that both sides have already approved.

The plan received widespread international support and Trump told journalists on Monday, saying that a permanent agreement was “a really good chance”.

In a sign that the talks gained momentum, Qatar said that the Prime Minister and the senior diplomat would go to Egypt on Wednesday to attend the negotiations of Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Trump’s Middle East ambassador Steve Witkoff and President of the President Jared Kushner and his senior Netanyahu Advisor Ron Dermer are also expected to attend talks.

The plan foresees that Israel will withdraw its troops from Gaza after the disarmament of Hamas and give an international security forces. The region will be under international governance with Trump and Eski British Prime Minister Tony Blair supervise.

In a statement published on Tuesday, Hamas reiterated its long -standing demands for the withdrawal of the permanent ceasefire and Israel from Gaza, but did not say anything about disarmament.

The war began on October 7, 2023 when the militants led by Hamas attacked Southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians and kidnapped 251. Most of them were released in fires or other agreements.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the next war killed at least 67,160 Palestinians and about 170,000 wounded and left the region ruins.

The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, but about half of the deaths are women and children. The ministry is part of the government operated by Hamas, and the United Nations and many independent experts see their figures as the most reliable estimation of war -time losses.

Increased number of experts, including these It was assigned by a UN bodyHe said that Israel’s attack in Gaza means genocide – a accusation of Israel strongly rejected.

On Tuesday, thousands of Israelis gathered in an area where Hamas attacked two years ago Pay tribute to loved ones killed and kidnapped. After a rocket was released in Northern Gaza, an explosion in the fields echoed. No damage or injury was reported.

In Gaza City, residents said Israeli attacks continued until the beginning of Tuesday. They had no instant reports.

Before the resumption of the negotiations, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that hostilities “created a humanitarian disaster on a scale that challenges understanding”.

Guterres said in a statement, Trump’s suggestion, “This offers an opportunity to seize to end the tragic conflict,” he said.

Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating between the parties for most of the war, facilitate the latest negotiations. Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Asari said that the talks on Monday took about four hours.

According to a US official who is not authorized to short journalists because the journey has not yet been announced, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to attend talks on Wednesday. Netanyahu’s senior advisor Dermer, according to an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was going to Egypt on Wednesday because they did not have the authority to speak with the media.

Part of the plan is to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, where more than 2 million Palestinians face hunger and famine in some regions.

Rising was reported from Bangkok. Reim, Melanie Lidman in Israel; Tel Aviv, Sam Mednick in Israel; Dubai, Jon Gambrell in the United Arab Emirates; Edith M. Lederer and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report in the United Nations.