2023-12-20 21:45:51
To better understand the latest events in the conflict between the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and Israel, 20 Minutes takes stock every evening. Between the strong declarations, the diplomatic advances or the dramatic results of the fighting, here are the main points of the day.
The fact of the day
A new truce soon on the agenda? According to the White House, discussions around a possible ceasefire are “very serious”. And if Washington has expressed the wish that they succeed, nothing is won, as the positions seem so far apart. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any ceasefire before the “elimination” of Hamas. “We are attacking Hamas with fire, hellish fire,” he insisted.
For his part, Hamas leader Ismaïl Haniyeh is discussing a possible new temporary truce in Cairo with Egyptian officials that would allow the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
But a Hamas official in Gaza reaffirmed that “a complete ceasefire and a withdrawal of the Israeli occupying army from Gaza are a prerequisite for any serious negotiations” for such an exchange.
Negotiated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, a seven-day pause in the war at the end of November allowed the release of 105 hostages and 240 Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli prisons, as well as the entry of aid convoys humanitarian in the small territory, subject to a total siege by Israel since October 9.
The number of the day
20.000. Like the number of deaths in Gaza since the start of the conflict, according to Hamas. Despite calls not to target civilians, airstrikes on the population have increased since October 7, the date of the deadly Hamas attack in Israel.
Sentence of the day
There seems to be a silence about what Hamas could do, should do, must do, if we are to end the suffering of innocent men, women and children.”
These are the words of Antony Blinken. The head of American diplomacy believes that the international community should put pressure on Hamas, and not just on Israel. “It would be good for the world to unite around this idea,” added the Secretary of State, who said he hoped for a satisfactory outcome on the draft resolution at the UN Security Council.
Today’s trend
After multiple postponements, the UN Security Council could vote this Wednesday on a new resolution intended to improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, a vote with a still uncertain outcome.
#truce #Gaza