Hamas chief says near truce settlement with Israel

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Nov 21 (Reuters) – The chief of Hamas advised Reuters on Tuesday that the Palestinian militant group was close to a truce settlement with Israel, even because the lethal assault on Gaza continued and rockets had been being fired into Israel.

Hamas officers are “near reaching a truce settlement” with Israel and the group has delivered its response to Qatari mediators, Ismail Haniyeh mentioned in an announcement despatched to Reuters by his aide.

There have been no extra particulars in regards to the phrases of the potential settlement.

U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned on Monday he believed an accord was close to. “We’re nearer now than we have been earlier than,” White Home spokesman John Kirby mentioned of an settlement aimed toward securing the discharge of some hostages held in Gaza and a pause within the combating that might enable a lot wanted help into the besieged enclave.

Hamas took about 240 hostages throughout its Oct. 7 rampage into Israel that killed 1,200 folks.

Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross (ICRC), met Haniyeh in Qatar on Monday to “advance humanitarian points” associated to the battle, the Geneva-based ICRC mentioned in an announcement. She additionally met individually with Qatari authorities.

The ICRC mentioned it was not a part of negotiations aimed toward releasing the hostages, however as a impartial middleman it was prepared “to facilitate any future launch that the events comply with.”

Speak of an imminent hostage deal has swirled for days. Reuters reported final week that Qatari mediators had been looking for a deal for Hamas and Israel to change 50 hostages in return for a three-day ceasefire that might increase emergency help shipments to Gaza civilians, citing an official briefed on the talks.

Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog mentioned on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that he hoped for an settlement “within the coming days” whereas Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani mentioned that the remaining sticking factors had been “very minor.”

A deal has appeared shut earlier than.

“Delicate negotiations like this could crumble on the final minute,” White Home deputy nationwide safety adviser Jon Finer advised NBC’s “Meet the Press” program on Sunday. “Nothing is agreed till the whole lot is agreed.”

Hamas’ raid on Oct. 7, the deadliest day in Israel’s 75-year-old historical past, prompted Israel to invade the Palestinian territory to focus on Hamas.

Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run authorities mentioned a minimum of 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, together with a minimum of 5,600 kids and three,550 girls, by unrelenting Israeli bombardment.

Hamas mentioned on its Telegram account on Monday that it had launched a barrage of missiles in the direction of Tel Aviv. Witnesses additionally reported rockets being fired at central Israel.

HOSPITALS AT RISK

The Palestinian information company WAFA mentioned on Tuesday a minimum of 17 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli bombing of the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza at midnight.

There was no speedy remark from Israel.

Gaza’s well being ministry mentioned on Monday that a minimum of 12 Palestinians had been killed and dozens wounded by firing into the Indonesian Hospital advanced, which was encircled by Israeli tanks.

Well being officers mentioned 700 sufferers together with workers had been below Israeli fireplace.

WAFA mentioned the power within the northeast Gaza city of Beit Lahia, funded by Indonesian organisations, had been hit by artillery rounds. Hospital workers denied there have been any armed militants on the premises.

World Well being Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned he was “appalled” by the assault that he too mentioned had killed 12 folks, together with sufferers, citing unspecified experiences.

The Israeli Defence Forces mentioned troops had fired again at fighters within the hospital whereas taking “quite a few measures to minimise hurt” to non-combatants.

Like all different well being services within the northern half of Gaza, the Indonesian Hospital has largely ceased operations however continues to be sheltering sufferers, workers and displaced residents.

Twenty-eight prematurely born infants evacuated from Gaza’s greatest hospital, Al Shifa, had been taken into Egypt for pressing therapy on Monday.

Israeli forces seized Shifa final week to seek for what they mentioned was a tunnel community constructed by Hamas beneath the hospital. Lots of of sufferers, medical workers and displaced folks left Shifa on the weekend, with docs saying they had been ejected by troops and Israel saying the departures had been voluntary.

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Rules.