Diplomatic efforts stepped up to secure truce
- A Hamas delegation has arrived in Egypt for what appear to be do-or-die negotiations on a ceasefire, with the movement’s spokesman, Osama Hamdan saying there have been “some forward steps”.
- Israel reportedly gives Hamas one week to agree to a ceasefire and prisoner-captive exchange deal, threatening it will launch its ground invasion of Rafah otherwise. The United Nations chief has called on Israel and Hamas to reach a truce deal.
Qatar University professor on the latest truce efforts
Mahjoob Zweiri, professor of contemporary Middle East politics at Qatar University, said there is confusion regarding the latest talks being held in Cairo:
“What we have witnessed in the past few hours is that they talk about an agreement on the first stage. It could be understood that Hamas wants to release itself from the pressure globally, including the United States. So, they are giving concessions on the first stage, which leads to 40 days of ceasefire and exchange of captives. I think 33 old and sick captives [under Hamas custody].
“And then moving on to other stages. But we are seeing that we are going back to the main conditions, which means we are still talking about the main principles [a complete ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza] that Hamas talked about.
“As the time of some sort of agreement on the first stage came, the Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to say actually, there is no agreement: We will go to Rafah regardless of any agreement. It reflects the divisions within the Israelis and crisis within the Israeli politics.
“On the other hand, Hamas has been more cautious. They do not want to show real progress made but they also do not want to say things have not changed. I think it’s obvious some change has happened otherwise we would not expect [CIA chief] William Burns to be in the region.”
WATCH: Palestinian journalists reporting on Gaza recognised with top prize
Journalists and media workers from all over the world have gathered in Chile’s capital for the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day Conference.
Palestinian journalists reporting on Israel’s war in Gaza won this year’s top prize.
Lucia Newman, Al Jazeera’s Latin America editor, reports from Santiago:
Hamas’s reply to truce proposal expected as delegations arrive in Cairo
There has been so much speculation over the last week over the truce talks.
Hamas received a counterproposal backed by Egypt and the US about a week or so.
There have been intensive negotiations as Hamas questioned certain items in the proposal exchanging it back and forth with other negotiators.
We are now having leaks reported by the Arab media that Hamas intends to accept, specifically, the first part of the deal which includes the release of some of the Israeli hostages over the course of 40 days.
We will have to wait and see, anything can change.
Netherlands prepares for WWII remembrance amid Gaza security fears
The Netherlands was preparing for its annual World War II remembrance ceremony in Amsterdam today with restricted public access and heightened security as a result of the war in Gaza.
The city of Amsterdam announced earlier in the week that it would severely restrict attendance to the ceremony on the city’s central Dam Square. The unprecedented security measures were intended to keep the ceremony safe and curb potential disturbances linked to the war in Gaza, the municipality said.
Dutch authorities have said the war and heightened insecurity in the Middle East have raised the risk of protests or disturbances.
Hundreds of thousands gather at Dam Square and other places throughout the Netherlands on May 4 every year to hold two minutes of silence at 8:00pm (18:00 GMT) to commemorate the victims of World War II.
Hamas: If US decides ‘that this must stop, it will happen’
Osama Hamdan says that during three months of negotiations to end Israel’s war on Gaza, there have been “some forward steps”.
“I think the mediators, our brothers in Egypt and Qatar, they are doing a good job. This is why we are still hoping to achieve the main goal, a complete ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza,” he said.
However, Hamdan said the war could end immediately if the US decided it should.
“We have to talk about the real position of the United States because that is the main issue which will affect the position of the Israelis, and mainly Netanyahu,” Hamdan told Al Jazeera. “If the United States administration has said clearly to Netanyahu, enough is enough… I assure you that will happen.”
WATCH: New York police remove solidarity encampment at NYU
Police in New York have removed students from a pro-Palestine solidarity encampment at New York University, as nationwide protests across higher education institutions continue in the United States.
Many of the students were asleep when the police raid began on Friday.
Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo reports from New York:
Hamas says Rafah one of ‘key elements’ of ceasefire talks
Osama Hamdan, a Hamas senior spokesman, says ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt are still ongoing.
“And it’s clear that we are moving forward. There are some good points,” Hamdan told Al Jazeera. “But till now, we are still talking about the main issue, which is the complete ceasefire and complete withdrawal from Gaza. We hope to find some good and positive answers today.”
Hamdan said one of the “key elements” discussed is Netanyahu’s aim of sending the army into Rafah.
“Unfortunately, there was a clear statement from Netanyahu saying that regardless to what may happen, if there was a ceasefire or not, he will continue the attack,” he said. “That means there will be no ceasefire, and that means that the attack will be continued, which is against what we are discussing.”
“At least we want to know exactly what does it mean, his statement, and the reaction from the mediators. Our understanding that any achievement for a ceasefire means that there will be no more attacks against Gaza and Rafah,” he added.
