Cease-fire starts in Gaza, talks in Cairo

A 72-hour cease-fire in Gaza has started today following talks between Cairo officials and representatives of different Palestinian factions. 

Israel's army announced through its Twitter account that it will adhere to the 72-hour cease-fire, during which it will "maintain defensive positions near the Gaza border." It also accused Hamas of firing 17 rockets into Israel of which the Iron Dome intercepted six, only minutes before the cease-fire started at 8 am on Tuesday.

Hamas' Qassam Brigades also referenced the rockets fired minutes before the cease-fire was implemented, saying that the rockets fired into Beer Sab', Jerusalem and Ashdod are in response to the Israeli killing of Gazan families.  

Hamas’ Sami Abu Zuhri has reportedly informed Egypt later on Monday of the group’s acceptance of a cease-fire for 72 hours, upon which negotiations will continue in Cairo with Palestinian factions. Egypt has also assumed the role of communicating the Palestinian factions’ demand to Israel.

An Egypt-brokered cease-fire proposal in early July failed, with Hamas mainly objecting to the content of the proposal and the way it was communicated to its leaders. Hamas leaders lamented poor communication from Egypt and also said that they won’t agree to a cease-fire without guarantees for the blockade lifting on the Gaza Strip. Israel has accepted the proposal, in the meantime.

A second US- and UN-brokered ceasefire in late July was broken shortly after it started, as violence resumed. While Israel blamed Hamas for breaking the cease-fire by throwing rockets, it shelled Rafah, south of Gaza, following news of the abduction of one of its soldiers.

“The time is different,” says Osama Amer, a Palestinian journalist close to the Hamas members of the Palestinian delegation negotiating in Egypt. Amer told Mada Masr that while Hamas stood at a distance from the earlier cease-fire proposal by Egypt, this time, it feels it is in a better position to negotiate given what has been achieved on the ground.

The sense of victory is echoed by the Qassam Brigades statements.

“The framework of this proposal is a 72-hour cease-fire, during which negotiations will be held,” says Amer, explaining that this is the main difference from the earlier proposal by Egypt. “The presence of a unified Palestinian delegation also makes a different,” he adds.

The delegation includes representatives from the Palestinian Authority and Fatah, four representatives from Hamas as well as representatives from the Islamic Jihad and other factions. Other members of Hamas and Jihad from within Gaza are due to arrive to Cairo today to take part in the negotiations, now that a cease-fire has started to be implemented. The delegation was first received by Egypt’s spy chief Mohamed al-Tohamy.

The demands that the Palestinian delegations have put on the table for the cease-fire include: the lifting of the maritime and land blockade, the reconstruction of the strip and the release of re-arrested prisoners previously released under the Gilad Shalit prisoners swap.

Commenting on the extent to which the Palestinian side believes Egypt will be able to present these demands to Israel, Amer praised Egypt diplomatic efforts, and explained that while the demands are deemed rights, the negotiation would be over a timeline for the restoration of these rights.

More than 1,800 lives have been lost in the Israeli military operation in Gaza since it started in early July.