Inside the course of mere days, hopes for a cease-fire within the Gaza Strip have been raised, dashed and raised once more, with no clear rationalization.
The confusion was maybe by no means extra evident than on Monday, when Hamas claimed to have accepted the phrases of a truce deal at the same time as Israel — per week after making concessions within the hope of an settlement — was ordering civilians within the southern Gazan metropolis of Rafah to evacuate and escalating its airstrikes there.
Here’s a have a look at the current dizzying flip of occasions.
Monday, April 29
Israeli officers, providing a touch of hope for a deal, mentioned that their negotiators had lowered the variety of hostages they wished Hamas to launch in the course of the first section of a truce.
Thursday, Might 2
A Hamas chief mentioned that the group would quickly ship a delegation to Cairo to “full ongoing discussions” on a cease-fire deal.
Saturday, Might 4
With talks underway, a senior Hamas official mentioned in a textual content message that the group’s representatives had arrived in Cairo for the talks, “with nice positivity” towards the newest proposal.
Sunday, Might 5
The talks — that are held not directly, by way of mediators — hit an deadlock, and Hamas mentioned its delegation had left Cairo. An Israeli official described the negotiations as in “disaster.”
Late within the day, Hamas launched rockets at a border crossing between Gaza and Israel, killing 4 Israeli troopers. Israel stepped up its assaults in Gaza.
Monday, Might 6
Hamas mentioned it accepted the phrases of a cease-fire — not as specified by Israel’s proposal, however drawn from one put forth by Egypt and Qatar.
The timing appeared noteworthy. The announcement was made after Israel had ordered individuals to evacuate from some areas in Rafah, an indication that Israeli forces is perhaps near launching a long-anticipated invasion of the refugee-packed metropolis. Late within the day, the Israeli army mentioned it was finishing up “focused strikes” on in japanese Rafah.
The strikes could show to be an try to show up the strain on Hamas negotiators. Late within the day, consistent with per week of contradictory indicators, the Israeli prime minister’s workplace mentioned that Hamas’s newest cease-fire proposal was unsatisfactory.
Then it mentioned would ship a working-level delegation again to the talks in Cairo anyway.
