Efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza hit a roadblock as discussions involving the United States, Egypt, Israel, and Qatar failed to yield significant progress. The talks, aimed at quelling the violence and providing humanitarian aid to the region, concluded without a breakthrough, as pressure mounts on Israel to halt its planned offensive on the southern city of Rafah, which is now home to over a million displaced Palestinians.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held discussions with CIA Director William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Cairo. However, the Egyptian state information service reported that while consultations would continue, no decisive agreements were reached. Israeli representatives were also part of the negotiations.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli forces are preparing for a ground assault on Rafah, a city spanning 64 square kilometres. With its population swelling to 1.4 million, largely living in makeshift shelters following extensive Israeli bombardment, concerns are mounting over the safety of civilians. Aid agencies lament the lack of evacuation plans, emphasising the dire situation facing those displaced within the besieged territory.
“Where are you going to evacuate people to? As no place is safe across the Gaza Strip, the north is shattered, riddled with unexploded weapons; it’s pretty much unlivable,” remarked Juliette Touma, a spokesperson for the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA.
Threat Looms Over Rafah
Israeli tank shelling rattled Rafah for the second consecutive night, inducing panic among residents. Overnight attacks on Monday claimed numerous lives, including two journalists, one of whom worked with Al Jazeera Arabic. The escalation in violence prompted hundreds of displaced families to flee Rafah, seeking refuge elsewhere.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, Gaza health officials reported 133 new Palestinian casualties within 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 28,473 since the conflict erupted. Amidst the chaos, concerns persist regarding a potential refugee influx into neighbouring Egypt, although Cairo has expressed reluctance to permit such a scenario.
While talks continue, Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, has not participated in the negotiations directly. A Hamas official reiterated the group’s stance, emphasising the need for Israeli commitments to cease hostilities and withdraw forces from the enclave before any agreement can be reached. The release of Israeli captives seized during a Hamas incursion into southern Israel remains a sticking point in the negotiations, underscoring the complex dynamics at play.
