Egypt's Diplomatic Chief Pressures the Palestinian Group to Embrace the US Gaza Peace Plan and Disarm

Cairo and Doha are actively pursuing diplomatic moves to urge Hamas to comply with the former US president's proposal to stop the war in Gaza, according to the Egyptian foreign minister.

Mounting Diplomatic Pressure on the Group

Badr Abdelatty declared that the moment has arrived for the organization to surrender arms and refrain from offering Israeli forces any justification to continue its offensive in Gaza, where numerous civilians were killed on recently.

“Hamas should not be used as an excuse for the relentless killing of innocents, a situation that has worsened significantly since last year,” the minister remarked.

The diplomat added that Cairo is “working alongside Qatar and Turkey to encourage Hamas to accept the proposal”.

Details of the US Initiative

The plan would necessitate Hamas to:

  • Lay down its arms and withdraw from political activities
  • Hand over the hostages still held from the October incident, 20 of whom are thought to survive

As part of the deal, Israel would:

  • Gradually withdraw its troops from the territory
  • Substituted by an global peacekeeping unit
  • Support a transitional authority headed by the former president

Most analysts agree that the plan would spell an end to the group's role as an armed Palestinian resistance group, while Israel would offer limited compromises.

Disagreements within Hamas

The group is divided over the appropriate answer, with factions seeking additional time to review the terms.

A senior commander has objected to the proposal, seeing it as a move to eradicate Hamas whether or not they agree.

Insiders report that the faction is inclined to seek modifications regarding:

  • Weapons surrender
  • Ongoing deployment of Israeli forces in the area
  • Assurances that the group’s leadership will not be targeted

Gaza Situation Worsens

Israeli forces continued its military actions in Gaza City and airstrikes across the territory on the recent day, fatally striking two dozen individuals.

Several of the victims were in Gaza City, while the rest perished in the south, including three in an unmanned aircraft attack in al-Masawi, which had been once declared a secure area.

Israel issued its final warning for the city on earlier this week, with the defence minister announcing that those who stay would be labeled as militants, a classification that violates humanitarian standards.

Hundreds of thousands of people remain stranded in the city, with numerous who cannot afford the trip to the south, which reportedly costs more than $1,000.

“Numerous civilians are stranded on roadsides, awaiting shelter,” stated an aid official.

The UN said that there is nowhere secure for people fleeing the city, as areas labeled as secure areas in the south are “places of death”.

A UNICEF spokesperson described the idea of secure areas as “absurd”, stating that bombs are used with frightening frequency and shelters designated as temporary shelters are often destroyed.

Healthcare System under Overwhelming Demand

Healthcare centers in the south are stretched to the limit, with the medical unit accommodating significantly beyond its normal limits.

On Thursday, one of the last functioning hospitals admitted numerous fatalities of people killed by the Israeli military.

A senior doctor referred to the circumstances as “very hard”.

Israel has been accused of striking hospitals and medical workers, with healthcare professional said to be “abducted” while on duty in a southern city.

Israel has often stated that detained healthcare workers had connections to the group, though lacking proof.

Fatalities from the conflict in the strip has amounted to more than sixty-two thousand Gazans killed and about 170,000 wounded, as reported by the Gaza health authority.

Theresa White
Theresa White

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