The first phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas, in force since January 19, must in principle end this Saturday, February 29. Hamas called on Friday, February 28, the international community to “put pressure” on Israel to conclude the terms of the second stage, which have still not been negotiated.
The Islamist movement calls for prolonging the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, when the mediators gathered in Cairo must continue their talks to determine the terms of the second stage, which must predict the final end of the war.
These announcements occur after weeks of blocking from Israel, which finally sent its negotiators to Cairo on Thursday, where, according to the Egyptian government, “intense discussions to examine the next stages of the truce agreement”. Discussions that involve delegations from Israel and Qatar, with the participation of American representatives, according to Cairo.
Israel has “no other choice”
During the last exchange, scheduled during the first phase of the agreement, Hamas had returned to Israel during the night of Wednesday to Thursday the remains of four hostages in exchange for the release of 643 Palestinian prisoners. At the end of this exchange, Hamas considered that Israel now had “no other choice” than to start negotiations on the rest of the ceasefire.
Indeed, on February 22, Israel had suspended the release of prison of some 600 prisoners then planned, in exchange for the return of six hostages, demanding that Hamas renounce organizing “humiliating ceremonies” at each release.
The Islamist group said he was ready, last week, to give Israel all the hostages remaining in Gaza “in one time” during the second phase.
The government under pressure from the extreme right
However, the implementation of this step promises to be particularly delicate. Israel requires Gaza to be completely demilitarized and Hamas eliminated, while the Palestinian movement, which has run the territory since 2007, insists to stay there.
For his part, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is under pressure from his far -right allies within the government coalition, which oppose the end of the war.
To complexify a potential agreement, the second stage of the truce is supposed to coincide with the beginning of Ramadan, the month of the Muslim fast during which the tensions between Palestinians and Israelis tend to exacerbate, in particular on the esplanade of the mosques, the third holy place of Islam located in Jerusalem-Est, in a sector annexed by Israel.
During this period, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians pray during Ramadan on this esplanade, where the slightest incident can quickly degenerate into confrontations. Access to the mosques esplanade will also be subject to the “usual restrictions” of security, the Israeli government said on Thursday.