Mahmoud Essa/AP
Palestinians walk through the destruction of the Israeli offensive in the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
CNN –
Ongoing talks to reach a ceasefire agreement to end fighting between Hamas and Israel in Gaza by Ramadan appear to remain on track, even after more than 100 Palestinians were killed on Thursday while trying to get food in Gaza City well-known officials report the discussions.
U.S. officials said Friday there were no signs the talks had been significantly derailed, but much depended on an expected response from Hamas to talks discussed last week in Paris and Doha between the other countries involved: Qatar, Egypt, Israel and the USA US. On Thursday, a Hamas official warned that negotiations could be affected.
CNN has contacted several Hamas officials about the possible deal but has not received a response.
In the wake of the deaths of dozens of Palestinian civilians in Gaza on Thursday, US officials said the chaotic scenes had added urgency to hostage-taking and ceasefire talks.
On Friday afternoon, President Joe Biden called for an “immediate ceasefire.”
“We are trying to negotiate an agreement between Israel and Hamas on the repatriation of the hostages and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks and to allow the increase in aid to the Gaza Strip,” Biden said during a meeting with the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
A senior administration official said earlier Friday that the U.S. is still struggling to get a deal across the finish line by Ramadan, now just about a week away. At this point, Israel has warned that its forces would expand military operations in Rafah in the absence of a deal.
On Thursday, Biden said the deaths at the aid site could complicate ceasefire talks.
Asked if he worried the deaths would complicate negotiations, Biden replied: “Oh, I know that.”
Biden spoke on Thursday with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt – countries that play a key mediating role in the negotiations.
Technical teams have been working on key components of a potential deal in Doha this week, officials familiar with the talks say. On Tuesday, Qatari spokesman Majed al-Ansari said there remained disagreements over “numbers, ratios and…” [IDF] Troop movements.”
It is expected that Hamas will demand a higher release of Palestinian prisoners from Israel if Hamas wants to release female hostages as IDF soldiers, as Israel has demanded.
CNN Foreign Affairs analyst Barak Ravid reported for Axios on Friday that as part of a response from Hamas, Israel was awaiting a list of hostages still alive and more details on the number of Palestinian prisoners released before participating in further talks.
“We are confident that the areas of divergence between the two sides can be bridged and we can achieve at least a temporary cessation of hostilities to lead to a permanent cessation.” [ceasefire]Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri said on Friday, while warning that failure to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas before Ramadan would lead to anger in the Arab and Muslim world.
“Everyone has realized how important it is that we succeed here before the start of Ramadan,” he told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.
“If this conflict continues into Ramadan, I think it will have very bad consequences as emotions will be further inflamed,” he added.
Those involved in the discussions said an agreement would likely be implemented in phases and once an initial agreement was reached, it could lead to a ceasefire of up to six weeks during which a group of Israeli hostages – including women, children – would be released etc old and sick hostages – in exchange for a smaller number of Palestinian prisoners than Hamas had originally demanded.
During a ceasefire, negotiations on more sensitive issues such as the release of Israeli soldiers held hostage, Palestinian prisoners serving longer sentences, the withdrawal of IDF forces and the permanent end to the war would take place alongside the so-called “day after.” problems.