Talks on potential ceasefire in Gaza are expected to resume in Egypt on Sunday as the Israeli aggression on the besieged enclave proceeds for the 149th day amid looming famine and catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
A delegation representing the Palestinian resistance group Hamas has arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to resume negotiations. Delegations from Qatar and the United States have also arrived for the new round of talks, the state-linked Al Qahera News said.
Conflicting reports emerged on the presence of an Israeli team. Israeli media reported that an Israeli team is expected later on Sunday. However, another Israeli report quoted a source briefed on the talks as saying that the Zionist entity would not send a team until it got a full list of Israeli captives, held in Gaza, who are still alive.
Earlier on Sunday, the UK-based Qatari outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted an unnamed Hamas leader as saying that the resistance group will not provide any further details on the captives in Gaza without a “big price” being paid.
Another major sticking point is focused on whether the truce will be temporary and lasting for six-weeks, or an end to the war.
Continuous Strikes
Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation has been going ahead with its brutal aggression on the besieged enclave, with strikes targeting several areas including the strip’s center and south.
In Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces have been besieging Hamad City and the town of Al-Qarara in preparation for an incursion into the northern areas.
شاهد | إطلاق نار في محيط مدينة حمد شمال خانيونس بعد توغل قوات الاحتلال. pic.twitter.com/YNNnzgcYUi
— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) March 3, 2024
Residents of the two areas were calling for their evacuation, amid the inability of the civil defense teams to access them as a result of being surrounded by Israeli military vehicles, Palestinian sources reported.
Khan Younis has been under heavy bombardment overnight, with the Israeli military saying its air force and artillery hit about 50 targets within six minutes in a bid to “intensify operational achievements in the area”.
In Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza, at least 8 Palestinians were martyred as their vehicle was targeted by Israeli occupation on Sunday. The displaced Palestinians were fleeing the area into another due to Israeli bombardment, local sources reported.
At least 8 Palestinians were just killed and others injured after Israeli warplanes attacked an aid vehicle in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza. pic.twitter.com/qhBlWaqyIy
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 3, 2024
Meanwhile in Rafah, rescue efforts continued on Sunday after Israeli fighter jets destroyed the Abu Anza family home in the southern city, killing at least 14 Palestinian civilians.
Death Toll and Looming Famine
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip has announced that 90 Palestinians were martyred by Israeli occupation in nine massacres over the past 24 hours, with 117 others wounded.
The figure brought the death toll from the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7 to 30,410, with about 71,700 injured, the ministry added.
The Palestinian ministry said that at least 15 children have died in the past few days from malnutrition and dehydration at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza City, as some parts of the territory face famine.
“We fear for the lives of SIX [other] children suffering from malnutrition and diarrhea at the hospital’s intensive care unit as a result of the cessation of the electric generator and oxygen and the weakness of medical capabilities,” ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement on Sunday.
On Friday, the hospital director announced the death of seven children, noting that they suffered from severe dehydration and malnutrition.
Thousands of people have been starving in northern Gaza, with children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. The UNICEF on Saturday warned against acute malnutrition, while UNRWA accused Israel of blocking aid in Gaza.
Human Rights Watch accused the Israeli occupation of violating the International Court of Justice order by blocking the supply of humanitarian aid amid looming famine.
Earlier on Saturday, the US military carried out an aid drop over Gaza, with photos and videos circulated on social media showing Palestinians running towards parachutes attached to food parcels, airdropped from US aircraft on a beach.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
