WASHINGTON: Intense global mediation efforts are working toward exchanging Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners during a proposed month-long truce in Gaza, Reuters reported as White House stated its ambassador was having active talks on the matter.
Reuters citied sources as saying that the US, Qatar, and Egypt have held shuttle diplomacy since December 28 and Hamas and Israel broadly agree in principle to the framework plan. It is being held up by the two parties’ differences over how to bring a permanent end to the war in Gaza.
White House, the US State Department, Qatar’s foreign ministry and Egypt’s State Information Service did not immediately issue any statements over the matter, Reuters reported.
War on Gaza
The development comes as Israel army suffered its worst loss of troops in over three months of war, 24 deaths in Gaza. Similarly, in a statement, Palestinian health authorities said around 195 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours, raising the documented death toll from Israeli attacks and shelling to more than 25,490.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council that the entire population of the Gaza Strip is enduring destruction at a scale and speed without matching in recent history. The UN chief said that nothing can justify the collective punishment of Palestinians and denounced Israel’s opposition to creation of a Palestinian state.
Similarly, a top Pakistani diplomat has called for “concrete steps” by the United Nations to halt the Israeli slaughter of the people in the Gaza Strip, as he underlined that a lasting end to the Israeli-Palestinian war can only come through a two-state solution. Pakistan’s permanent representatives at UN, Ambassador Munir Akram told the UNSC, “It is now time for the UNSC for the entire membership of the UN, to consider step by which to reverse this wanton rejection of peace.”
He said that they hoped the Council will be able, finally, to approve a resolution demanding a complete cessation of hostilities, complete access to humanitarian help for the besieged population of the Strip, and global protection for Palestinians.
