Hamas’ delegation has left Cairo.March 7, 2024, 3:06 PM ET• 4 min readHamas’ delegation has left Cairo, finishing cease-fire talks between the militant crew and Israel and making it not likely that there might be a ruin within the violence ahead of the spiritual month of Ramadan starts on March 10, Hamas chief Hussam Badran mentioned in a commentary.Whilst Israel signed off on a variety of Hamas’ phrases, Hamas then ramped up its calls for, insisting on an everlasting cease-fire that retained its regulate of Gaza, two U.S. officers aware of the talks mentioned Wednesday.Hamas mentioned Israel’s destructive positions stored the Cairo negotiations from achieving an settlement.U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew mentioned at an match in Israel on Thursday that it is a “mistake” to suppose the hostage and cease-fire negotiation talks are over.”There are nonetheless conversations occurring. Nonetheless a backward and forward. The diversities are being narrowed. it’s nonetheless now not an settlement,” Lew mentioned. “And everyone seems to be having a look against Ramadan, which is coming nearer.””I will be able to’t let you know it’s going to achieve success but it surely’s now not but the case that [the talks have] damaged down,” Lew mentioned.An Israeli military soldier fires a weapon in an unspecified location within the Gaza Strip amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant crew Hamas, Feb. 29, 2024.Israel Protection Forces/AFP by way of Getty ImagesThe U.S. has instructed all events within the negotiations to return to an settlement ahead of Ramadan starts, however as the beginning of Ramadan grows nearer, the opportunity of having a deal by way of then seems to be much less most probably.Officers mentioned the U.S. and Israel narrowed their focal point to what used to be up to now described as section one among a three-step pact: the alternate of a number of dozen hostages for a minimum of six weeks of cease-fire. The officers mentioned the “section one” settlement would carry probably the most maximum inclined hostages house, permit a dramatic building up of support into Gaza and probably cool tensions.The continuing battle started after Hamas-led terrorists introduced an unparalleled incursion into southern Israel from neighboring Gaza on Oct. 7. About 1,200 Israelis had been killed whilst greater than 200 others had been taken hostage, consistent with Israeli government.A Palestinian guy walks amid the rubble of homes destroyed by way of Israeli bombardment in Khan Yunis within the southern Gaza Strip, Mar. 6, 2024.AFP by way of Getty ImagesThe Israeli army therefore introduced retaliatory airstrikes adopted by way of a floor invasion of Gaza, killing greater than 30,000 Palestinians, consistent with Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Ministry of Well being.Greater than 100 hostages had been launched all through a short lived cease-fire settlement in past due November in alternate for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, however dozens extra hostages have remained in captivity within the months since that truce ended.ABC Information’ Nasser Atta and Shannon Crawford contributed to this record.
