If there is a ceasefire, Hamas would accept Tel Aviv troops in the strip, mediators say
▲ Palestinians mourn the victims killed in an Israeli attack on the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the center of the Gaza Strip.Xinhua Photo
Reuters and Afp
La Jornada Newspaper
Friday, December 13, 2024, p. 21
Cairo., Israeli attacks killed at least 70 Palestinians in different parts of the Gaza Strip during the last 24 hours, the authorities of the enclave reported, when it emerged that Hamas would be willing to allow the temporary deployment of Israeli troops to reach a cessation the fire with Israel.
Israel killed 12 Palestinians in two airstrikes in Gaza who, according to Gazan authorities, were part of a force protecting humanitarian aid trucks; Many of those killed in the attacks in Rafah and Khan Yunis, south of the Palestinian enclave, had links to the Palestinian armed wing, according to sources close to the group.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa confirmed that those killed in the two airstrikes were guarding the humanitarian cooperation trucks.
For its part, the Israeli army indicated in a statement that it carried out precise attacks against armed Hamas terrorists for Ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.
In another offensive by Tel Aviv, the Gazan civil defense reported that at least 33 people died last night in a bombing against a Nuseirat refugee camp, in the center of the Palestinian enclave.
At press time, another Israeli attack killed at least 30 Palestinians taking refuge in a post office in central Gaza, bringing the number of Palestinians eliminated to 44,835.
Meanwhile, the Islamic resistance movement told Arab mediators, for the first time, that it would accept an agreement that would allow Israeli forces to remain in the Gaza Strip eventually as soon as the fighting stops, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the Journal, Hamas provided a list of captives, including American citizens, whom it would release under a cessation of hostilities pact, something it has not done since the first truce in the conflict last year.
The plan, proposed by Cairo and supported by the United States, would take advantage of the ceasefire in Lebanon, which remains in place despite accusations of mutual violations between Israel and Hezbollah.
Francisco-Abbas talk
Meanwhile, Pope Francis met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican in his first face-to-face meeting in three years, at a time when the pontiff has become more critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The two held private talks for half an hour, the Vatican said, but offered few details about the meeting. According to a statement, Abbas later met with the top diplomats of the Catholic Church to discuss the very serious humanitarian situation in Gaza, where it is expected that there will be a ceasefire and the release of all hostages as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, a third of the 54 journalists murdered around the world this year were killed by the Israeli army, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said yesterday.
According to the press defense organization, Israeli armed forces are responsible for the death of 18 journalists this year, 16 in Gaza and two in Lebanon.
In total, more than 145 journalists were killed by the Tel Aviv army since October 2023 in Gaza, of which at least 35 in the exercise of their dutiesaccording to the organization, which regrets an unprecedented massacre.
