Israel is conditioning the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip on the advancement of the release of Israeli citizens held by Hamas, according to a report in the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar on Thursday morning, quoted by Ynet.
Israeli officials and representatives of the Hamas terror group are expected to meet for indirect talks in Cairo on conditions for a long-term ceasefire, facilitated by Egyptian officials. If the talks do take place, the Israeli delegation will be led by National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat.
However, it remains to be seen if Hamas will accept Israel’s conditions for a ceasefire, which include the return of Israeli captives, an end of the launching of terror balloons from the Gaza Strip, and the transfer of rehabilitation aid solely through the Palestinian Authority.
Furthermore, Hamas had repeatedly demanded that Israel withdraw their security forces from Har Habayis and the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah but Israel said that they will not meet any demands regarding Jerusalem.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar even told journalists on Tuesday that there are “10,000 suicide bombers in Israel” who are ready to respond if Israel carries out any “violations” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Har Habayis in Jerusalem.
Hamas is holding the bodies of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, IDF soldiers who were killed in Operation Protective Edge in 2014, as well as holding captive two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who both crossed into Gaza of their own accord in 2014 and 2015. Both suffer from mental illness.
Egypt is expected to play the main role in the reconstruction of Gaza, a role played by Qatar following previous skirmishes.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
Terrible idea
no conditions
Why is it a terrible idea? Why should Israel allow even one house to be rebuilt, even one brick to be put on another, while Hamas holds Israeli prisoners and the bodies of IDF soldiers? I think it’s a very good idea to say that until the prisoners and bodies are released there will be no rebuilding allowed. No building supplies will be allowed in. And whatever they build will be destroyed.
I demand from my government to remove the “10,000 suicide bombers in Israel” now.
When your enemy threatens you, believe him.
And if chas ve’chalila it was your child would it also be a terrible idea? No conditions? Israel can’t leave it’s soldiers behind.