Pressure mounts for ceasefire as Israel strikes Gaza

2024-04-28 16:28:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Pressure mounts for ceasefire as Israel strikes Gaza

Illustrative photo

Diplomatic efforts were stepped up on Sunday with the aim of reaching a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza, as Israel continued air and artillery strikes on the war-torn territory. A new video showing two hostages held by Hamas militants since the group attacked Israel on October 7 has sparked outrage in Israel. On Saturday, many Israeli protesters pressured the government to reach an agreement with Hamas. Global opposition to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has also grown. World leaders and aid groups are warning that an imminent Israeli attack on the southern city of Rafah would lead to massive casualties.

A senior Qatari official urged Israel and Hamas to show "more commitment and seriousness" in ceasefire negotiations after nearly seven months of fighting in Gaza.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Majed al-Ansari, in an interview with the liberal daily "Haaretz", expressed his disappointment, adding that each side made its decisions based on political interests and not the good of civilians.

"We were hoping to see more commitment and more seriousness from both sides," he declared. Without giving many details, Mr. al-Ansari said that the talks have stopped and both sides are sticking to their positions.

Relations between Qatar and Israel have been strained throughout the war, as some politicians in Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have criticized Qatar for not putting enough pressure on Hamas.

In another development, while Israel has not backed down from the idea of ??intervening in the town of Rafah, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says only the United States can stop Israel from launching this attack.

"We call on the United States of America to ask Israel not to attack Rafah. America is the only country capable of preventing Israel from committing this crime," Mr Abbas said during a meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Mr. Abbas added that the Israeli attack, which he expects to happen within a few days, could force a large part of the Palestinian population to leave the territory and, according to him, this would be the greatest catastrophe in the history of the Palestinian people.

Israel says that the remaining Hamas battalions are hiding in this city.

Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv demanding the release of the hostages and the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.

Demonstrators protested the way the Israeli administration is handling the war against Hamas.

The war began when Hamas carried out a cross-border terror attack in southern Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza controlled by Hamas, Israeli attacks have killed 34,000 Palestinians. Hamas has been declared a terrorist organization by the United States, Great Britain, the European Union and several other countries./ Voa