Foreign Minister of Israel Tzipi Livni met in Tel Aviv with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon early Thursday afternoon. Ban arrived after talks Wednesday in Egypt and Jordan where he repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire. After his talks with Livni, Ban said the death toll in Gaza has reached an "unbearable point." He also expressed outrage at the reported IDF shelling and resultant fire at Gaza's United Nations Relief & Works Agency (UNRWA) on Thursday morning.
After postponing his trip earlier this week, senior Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad is returning to Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman on the ceasefire proposal. On his return, the security cabinet is to review the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire and an end to weapons smuggling in the Gaza Strip. If the measures are deemed acceptable, they will be submitted to the government for approval.
Gilad's trip comes against the backdrop of stepped-up international efforts to end Israel's military campaign against Hamas, in its 20th day Thursday, and reports of progress in talks between Egyptian officials and Hamas representatives in Cairo.
Following discussions Wednesday in Cairo, Hamas officials expressed hope that the Egyptian effort will succeed, but stressed that they are still seeking clarifications of the Egyptian proposal.
Gaza-based Hamas representative Salah al-Bardawil told reporters in Cairo that Hamas has presented the Egyptian leadership with a more detailed version, but does not reject the "broad outlines" of the Egyptian truce plan.
At the same, Hamas leadership in Damascus voiced reservations. Hamas deputy political leader Moussa Abu Marzouk said Hamas has reservations regarding the duration of the truce, the timing of an Israeli troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in relation to a ceasefire taking effect, and monitoring arrangements along the border and at the border crossings. He said Hamas is waiting to hear from the Egyptians after their discussions with Israel.
The international community continues its efforts to bring an end to fighting. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is continuing his regional tour aimed at advancing a ceasefire.
The foreign ministries of France and Germany declared in a joint statment their countries' commitment to support arrangements to prevent weapons smuggling and the opening of border crossings within the framework of a permanent ceasefire.
By REKA Israel, Copyright.
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