:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/ONLDI55HTOWM7RPA2WDZFQZ4WY.jpg "Six months after the brutal Hamas terrorist attack in Israel, the war in Gaza continues while a truce is negotiated in Cairo")
Israel Warns of Total Elimination of Hamas in Gaza as Negotiations for Truce Continue
The conflict between Israel and Hamas shows no sign of ending as negotiators from both sides meet in Cairo to discuss a truce in the Gaza Strip and the release of over a hundred hostages held by the Palestinian terrorist group. Israel has made it clear that its objective is the complete elimination of Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
American and Israeli officials, including CIA director Bill Burns and Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Al Thani, are participating in indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt. Hamas has stated that its main demands include a ceasefire in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The negotiations come after Israel admitted to the mistake of its military in the deaths of seven aid workers in an attack on an NGO convoy in Gaza. This incident led to a tense phone call between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with Biden urging an immediate ceasefire and suggesting conditions on US aid to Israel.
The conflict began in October with an attack by Hamas on Israeli territory, resulting in over 1,000 deaths, mostly civilians. Palestinian terrorists have also taken hostages, with around 130 remaining in Gaza. In response, Israel has launched military offensives in the enclave, resulting in thousands of deaths, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has reported devastation in Al Shifa hospital, the largest in Gaza, following Israeli airstrikes. WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the hospital as an “empty shell with human graves.”
As negotiations continue, challenges remain, with Hamas refusing to release certain hostages and Israel expressing concerns about the return of displaced Gazans due to the presence of alleged infiltrated terrorists among them. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid is in Washington to discuss the situation with US officials amid growing frustration with Netanyahu.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza persists, with aid deliveries deemed insufficient for the population. Many residents, like Siham Achur, continue to question why their homes were bombed in the ongoing conflict.
The international community watches closely as efforts to reach a truce and peace in the region face significant hurdles.