CAIRO/GAZA: Hamas and two other Palestinian groups have said that a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel is “closer than ever”, provided Israel does not impose new conditions, AFP reports.
“The possibility of reaching an agreement (for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal) is closer than ever, provided the enemy stops imposing new conditions,” Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said in a rare joint statement issued after talks in Cairo.
Palestinian groups meet in Cairo to discuss future Gaza governance
Palestinian groups — including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — have met in the Egyptian capital to discuss Gaza, ceasefire talks and plans for post-conflict Gaza, Al Jazeera reports citing a statement released on the Hamas Telegram channel.
The groups discussed the latest developments related to the formation of a committee “to manage Gaza after the war” yesterday.
Earlier this month, Hamas and Palestinian faction Fatah agreed in Cairo to set up a committee to jointly administer the Strip once the fighting is over.
Under the plan, which needs Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s approval, the committee will have 10 to 15 nonpartisan figures with authority on matters related to the economy, education, healthcare, humanitarian aid and reconstruction, according to a draft of the proposal seen by AFP.
Ministry issues appeal for supplies for Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital
The Palestinian Ministry of Health has issued an urgent appeal for medical and food supplies to be delivered to Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Beit Lahiya area, Al Jazeera reports.
The ministry said in a statement that there was continuous gunfire and Israeli shelling near the hospital. “Shells have struck the third floor and the hospital’s entrances, creating a state of panic,” the ministry said.
The ministry also said Israel “is violating the most basic rules of international law and international humanitarian law by targeting medical and health centres and by not allowing rescue and relief for those inside them”.
Israeli military used civilian contractors to demolish homes in Rafah: report
The Israeli military has reportedly used civilian contractors to demolish Palestinian homes and establish military engineering infrastructure in southern Gaza’s Rafah, Al Jazeera reports.
Civilian contractors were used in the Shaboura neighbourhood of the besieged city bordering Egypt, according to the Walla news website, which had its reporter embedded with the Israeli military in a tour of the area.
“The entire area can be described in one word: destruction. Destruction of infrastructure, roads, and the destruction of buildings,” the Israeli outlet said.
UNRWA condemns ‘blatant disregard of UN premises’ in West Bank’s Jenin
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says it has learned of the “forced entry and presence of Palestinian armed actors in its Health Centre in Jenin Camp” in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reports.
The organisation said this happened on December 17, adding it has been unable to access the centre and does not presently have control over the facility and its use.
“This forced entry and presence of Palestinian armed actors is a new blatant disregard of UN premises. It has occurred while the Palestinian Security Forces are conducting an operation in and around the camp, ongoing since 14 December,” it added.
