Ceasefire talks to continue in Cairo after IDF withdrawal from southern Gaza
The Hindu
Ceasefire talks progress in Cairo as Israel withdraws troops from southern Gaza, hostage crisis continues.
A day after Israel announced the withdrawal of all combat troops from southern Gaza, Egyptian officials claimed progress in a fresh round of ceasefire talks in Cairo.
Both Hamas and Israel sent delegations to Cairo for talks which were also attended by CIA chief Bill Burns and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman.
On Monday, Egypt’s al Qahera TV reported, quoting government sources, that progress has been made in Cairo for hostage release and a ceasefire in Gaza, and parties have agreed to basic points of an agreement.
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Hamas and Qatari officials left Cairo after talks for deliberations. They will return in two days and so will Israeli and American officials.
Hamas took 253 people hostage in their October 7 attack which killed at least 1,200 Israelis. Of the hostages, 129, some of them are not alive, are still in captivity. At least 33,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 75,000 injured in Gaza in Isrel’s offensive ever since.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Defence Forces announced that they are withdrawing all combat troops from the southern Gaza city of Khan Younus, bringing four months of fighting in and around the city to an end.
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