A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Sunday for talks aimed at brokering a ceasefire in Gaza, after indications that Israel had provisionally accepted a six-week phased hostage and truce deal. Qatari and US mediators also joined the talks, according to Egyptian state-linked media.
The proposed deal, which would see a pause in fighting and the release of hostages before the start of Ramadan on 10 or 11 March, has not yet been finalised. A Palestinian official told Reuters: 'We're not there yet.' A Hamas official said that if Israel met its demands, including a complete military withdrawal from Gaza and increased humanitarian aid, an agreement could be reached within 24 to 48 hours.
US Vice-President Kamala Harris called for an immediate ceasefire on Sunday, describing conditions in Gaza as 'inhumane' and a 'humanitarian catastrophe'. The local health ministry reported that 16 children had died from malnutrition and dehydration at a hospital in Beit Lahiya, and the UN warned that about a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million population is 'one step away from famine'. The US has begun airdropping food into the besieged territory, a move criticised as expensive and ineffective by aid agencies.
Fighting continues despite the diplomatic efforts, with 90 people killed in Israeli air strikes on Sunday. A previous truce in November collapsed after a week, and progress on a second deal has proved elusive. Israel's military said a preliminary review found its forces did not strike an aid convoy on Thursday that resulted in 115 Palestinian deaths, though it acknowledged firing at individuals it said posed a threat. UN officials said they saw many survivors with gunshot wounds.
