Palestinians examine the injury at al-Zahra college used as a shelter by displaced Palestinians following an Israeli assault, within the Shujaiya neighbourhood of Gaza Metropolis on August 8, 2024, amid the continued battle between Israel and the Hamas militant group. | Picture credit score: AFP
The Israeli army has ordered one other mass evacuation in massive areas round Khan Younis in southern Gaza, saying its forces will quickly function there in response to Palestinian rocket fireplace. Gaza’s second-largest city, Khan Younis, suffered widespread destruction throughout air and floor operations earlier this yr.
Israeli forces have repeatedly returned to badly broken areas of Gaza, the place they’d fought earlier battles in opposition to Hamas and different militants for the reason that begin of the 10-month conflict.
Gaza is dealing with a extreme humanitarian disaster because of Israeli restrictions on support and ongoing preventing that restrict entry to medical, meals and different provides. The Gaza Well being Ministry says the loss of life toll within the territory is approaching 40,000.
Regional tensions have soared since Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran on July 31 in a suspected Israeli strike. Retaliation was anticipated.
Ceasefire negotiations
World leaders have been pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. On Thursday, August 8, 2024, the overseas powers concerned in negotiating a possible deal – the USA, Egypt and Qatar – issued a joint assertion urging Israel and Hamas to renew stalled ceasefire talks on August 15.
Israel has confirmed it’s going to ship negotiators to renew oblique ceasefire talks with Hamas subsequent week in response to a proposal by the USA, Egypt and Qatar.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated on Thursday night (8 August 2024) that the federal government would heed the decision of overseas mediators to revive negotiations aimed toward stopping preventing in Gaza after 10 months of devastating conflict and bringing house Israeli hostages nonetheless held captive within the enclave.
The assertion stated that on August 15, at a location to be decided, the events will agree on the implementation of a “framework settlement” that has already been finalized. The mediators indicated that the talks will happen within the Qatari capital, Doha, or within the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
There was no instant response to Hamas’s provide. The assassination of its prime political chief final week in Tehran raised tensions throughout the area, an escalation seen as a blow to ceasefire negotiations.
International powers concerned in negotiating a attainable ceasefire aimed toward halting preventing in Gaza and releasing Israeli hostages have collectively referred to as on Israel and Hamas to return to the negotiating desk subsequent week.
The assertion issued on Thursday (8 August 2024) by the USA, Egypt and Qatar, the three mediators within the months-long conflict between Israel and Hamas, referred to as on the events to renew stalled ceasefire talks on 15 August within the Qatari capital Doha or the Egyptian capital Cairo.
“There isn’t any extra time to waste and no excuses from both facet to delay the settlement any additional,” he stated, including that negotiators have already finalised a “framework” for the deal. The one factor left to be labored out, he added, are the main points of its implementation.
