Middle East crisis live: Hamas heads to Cairo for talks with Gaza ceasefire in peril -

Hamas says group’s delegation in Cairo for talks on Gaza ceasefire

Agence France-Presse (AFP) have a little more on the news we just reported that a Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo.

“A delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya, head of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, arrived in Cairo and began meetings with Egyptian officials, and followed up on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas said in a statement, according to AFP.

An official told AFP the delegation “will discuss ways to end the current crisis and ensure the occupation’s commitment to implementing the agreement”.

The armed wing of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which has been holding Israeli hostages since 7 October 2023, said on Wednesday that the fate of those hostages was tied to the actions of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reports Reuters.

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“The only way to retrieve hostages and for stability to come back is through a swap deal,” the group’s spokesperson said on Telegram.

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Israel’s military has called up reservists in preparation for a possible resumption of fighting in Gaza if Hamas fails to meet a Saturday deadline to release more Israeli hostages and a nearly month-old ceasefire breaks down, reports Reuters.

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Concern that the ceasefire will collapse is growing as fury mounts in Arab countries over US president Donald Trump’s plan for the United States to take over Gaza, resettle its Palestinian inhabitants and develop the Gaza Strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

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Under the ceasefire deal in force since 19 January, Hamas agreed to free three more hostages on Saturday. But Hamas said this week it was suspending the handover over what it said were Israeli violations of the terms.

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Trump responded by saying all hostages must be freed by noon on Saturday or he would “let hell break out”.

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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu then warned on Tuesday that his country would resume “intense fighting” if Hamas did not meet the deadline, but did not say how many hostages should be freed.

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Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to gather forces in and around Gaza, and the military announced it was deploying additional forces to Israel’s south, including mobilising reservists, reports Reuters.

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Egypt and Qatar are intensifying efforts to save the Gaza ceasefire deal after pressure from the United States and Israel to resume military operations, state-affiliated Egypt’s al Qahera news TV reported on Wednesday, citing an Egyptian source.

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US president Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that “hell will break loose” if Israeli hostages were not released by Hamas on Saturday, as scheduled under the ceasefire.

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Hamas has postponed the release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire’s terms.

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Agence France-Presse (AFP) have a little more on the news we just reported that a Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo.

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An official told AFP the delegation “will discuss ways to end the current crisis and ensure the occupation’s commitment to implementing the agreement”.

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Syria will have a new government next month, foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani said on Wednesday, with transitional authorities having ruled the country since the overthrown of Bashar al-Assad.

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“The government that will be launched 1 March will represent the Syrian people as much as possible and take its diversity into account,” Shaibani said on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in the United Arab Emirates, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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Hamas on Wednesday praised Jordan and Egypt for “rejecting displacement” plans for Palestinians in Gaza as proposed by US president Donald Trump, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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Hamas “appreciates the positions of our brothers in Jordan and Egypt in rejecting displacement of our people and affirming that there is an Arab plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents,” the group said after Jordan and Egypt, where Trump has suggested Gaza’s more than two million inhabitants could be relocated, voiced opposition to his plan.

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Mediators from Qatar and Egypt were “working intensively” to resolve the crisis surrounding the Gaza ceasefire deal, a Palestinian source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday, after Israel threatened to resume fighting if Hamas fails to release hostages by the weekend.

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“Mediators from Qatar and Egypt are in contact with the American side … They are working intensively to resolve the crisis and compel Israel to implement the humanitarian protocol in the ceasefire agreement and begin negotiations for the second phase,” said the source, on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak publicly on the Gaza ceasefire.

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The Israeli military says it struck two people in the southern Gaza Strip who were flying a drone. It said on Wednesday that the drone was observed entering Gaza from Israel after past attempts to use drones to smuggle in weapons, reports the Associated Press (AP).

Gaza’s health ministry said a 44-year-old man was killed in an Israeli strike near the southern city of Rafah on Wednesday, without providing further details.

Munir al-Bursh, director general of the ministry, said on Tuesday that at least 92 Palestinians have been killed and more than 800 injured by Israeli fire since the fragile ceasefire took hold last month. The Israeli military says it has fired upon people who approach its forces or enter certain areas in violation of the truce.

Hamas has threatened to delay the next release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the agreement by firing on people and by not allowing the stipulated amounts of tents, shelters and other vital aid to enter the territory.

n Israel, with the support of US president Donald Trump, has warned that it will resume the fighting if hostages are not freed on Saturday.

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China on Wednesday reiterated its opposition to the “forced displacement” of Palestinians when asked about US president Donald Trump’s plan to move Gaza’s inhabitants elsewhere.

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“Gaza belongs to the Palestinians and is an integral part of the Palestinian territory … We oppose the forced displacement of the people of Gaza,” foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press briefing, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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Displacing Palestinians from their Gaza Strip and West Bank territories is “unacceptable” to the region, Arab League secretary general Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Wednesday, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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“It’s unacceptable for the Arab world which has fought this idea for 100 years,” he said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, when asked about US president Donald Trump’s plan to move Gaza’s inhabitants.

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Donald Trump has pressed Jordan’s King Abdullah to take in Palestinians who would be permanently displaced under the US president’s idea for the US to take over the Gaza Strip – even as the king said his country was firmly opposed to the move.

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Speaking alongside the Arab country’s ruler in the White House, Trump signaled he would not budge on his idea that involves moving the Gaza Strip’s shell-shocked residents and transforming the war-ravaged territory into what he billed a “Riviera of the Middle East”.

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Trump has infuriated the Arab world by saying that Palestinians would not be able to return to their homes under his proposal to redevelop the territory, which has been devastated by an Israeli offensive.

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The arbitrary and permanent forcible transfer of populations is considered a crime under the Geneva conventions.

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“We’re going to take it. We’re going to hold it, we’re going to cherish it. We’re going to get it going eventually, where a lot of jobs are going to be created for the people in the Middle East,” Trump said in the Oval Office, saying his plan would “bring peace” to the region.

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King Abdullah said later that he had reiterated Jordan’s “steadfast position” against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, as well as in the occupied West Bank that borders his country.

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“This is the unified Arab position,” he said in a post on X. “Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all.”

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Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas does not release more hostages by noon on Saturday, endorsing a threat by Donald Trump that could shatter the three-week-old ceasefire between the two sides.

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Netanyahu’s ultimatum was delivered during a video address posted to social media account on Tuesday. “If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon – the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated,” he said.

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It came a day after Trump told reporters:

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n

If all the Gaza hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12pm, I would say cancel the ceasefire. Let all hell break loose.”

n

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Netanyahu’s threat came as Trump hosted King Abdullah of Jordan at the White House on Tuesday for a tense meeting, where the two were to discuss the ceasefire and Trump’s plan to “take over” Gaza and expel the region’s more than 2 million Palestinians. Trump has said that he could withhold aide from Jordan and Egypt, two US allies, unless they agree to his plan.

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In a quick back-and-forth with reporters before a closed-door meeting with Abdullah, Trump in effect endorsed an Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank and said there was “no reason to buy Gaza” because “we’re going to take it”.

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Asked whether Saturday remained his deadline for Hamas to deliver all the hostages, Trump replied: “Yes.”

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It was not clear whether Netanyahu is also demanding that all 76 captives still held in Gaza be released, or just the three hostages scheduled for release on Saturday under the ceasefire. The prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further information.

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You can read more of the report by Andrew Roth in Washington and Bethan McKernan in Jerusalem at the link below.

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It is approaching 9.30am in Gaza City, Tel Aviv and Cairo, and 11am in Tehran.

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Egypt’s foreign ministry has said it plans to present a “comprehensive vision” for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip that ensures Palestinians remain on their land. The statement late on Tuesday follows further comments from US president Donald Trump about his desire for the US to take over Gaza and permanently displace 2 million Palestinians living in the territory.

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Cairo “hopes to cooperate” with Trump’s administration on the matter, the foreign ministry said, with the goal of “reaching a fair settlement of the Palestinian cause”.

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It said its plan would provide for the reconstruction of Gaza “in a clear and decisive manner that ensures the Palestinian people stay on their land, and in line with the legitimate and legal rights of this people”.

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The US president has said he could “conceivably” halt aid to Egypt and Jordan if they refuse to accept Palestinian refugees. “We contribute a lot of money to Jordan, and to Egypt by the way – a lot to both. But I don’t have to threaten that. I think we’re above that,” Trump said.

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Egypt and the US exchanged invitations for state visits last month, but none have yet been scheduled.

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Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said earlier the establishment of a Palestinian state was “the only guarantee for achieving lasting peace” in the region, according to a statement from his office.

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In other developments:

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n
Jordan’s King Abdullah II reacted to Trump’s latest comments on taking over Gaza by urging all sides “not to get ahead of ourselves”. During a White House press conference with the US president he said: “The president is looking at Egypt coming to present their plan, we will be in Saudi Arabia to discuss how we can work with the president and with the United States.” He added: “So I think let’s wait until the Egyptians can come and present it to the president and not get ahead of ourselves.”

n
Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Mustafa denounced Trump’s Gaza proposal. West Bank-based Mustafa said in a statement on Tuesday, that the Palestinian Authority “underscored the absolute rejection of all schemes to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from Gaza, as well as Israel’s annexation schemes in the West Bank, which undermine the realisation of the independent Palestinian state.” Hamas condemned Trump’s latest comments doubling down on his Gaza proposal, describing them as “racist” and “a call for ethnic cleansing”.

n
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would end the ceasefire if Hamas failed to free Israeli hostages by midday on Saturday. He said: “The decision that I passed unanimously in the cabinet is this: If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon – the ceasefire will be terminated, and the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated.” Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, warned it would “return to military operations and fighting” if Hamas does not release hostages.

n
The UN urged Israel and Hamas to make sure the ceasefire holds as tension over a possible delay of the latest hostage release ratcheted up. The UN secretary-general António Guterres appealed to both sides to stick to their commitment. Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, according to reports. In a statement, Hamas said that it holds Israel accountable for any “complications or delays”.

n
Trump has said he does not think Hamas will make the Saturday deadline for the hostage release, adding Hamas must have all hostages out by Saturday or “all bets are off”.

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Islamic Jihad says fate of hostages it holds is tied to Netanyahu’s actions

“The only way to retrieve hostages and for stability to come back is through a swap deal,” the group’s spokesperson said on Telegram.

Israeli military calls up reservists as concern over Gaza ceasefire mounts

Trump responded by saying all hostages must be freed by noon on Saturday or he would “let hell break out”.

Egypt and Qatar intensifying efforts to save Gaza ceasefire deal, Egypt TV reports

US president Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that “hell will break loose” if Israeli hostages were not released by Hamas on Saturday, as scheduled under the ceasefire.

Hamas has postponed the release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire’s terms.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society’s (PRCS) disaster risk management teams, in partnership with international organisations and local committees, have begun setting up camps in Gaza to provide “urgent relief services amid the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip”, the charity said on Wednesday.

In a post on X, the PRCS said that so far, 1,490 tents have been distributed in north Gaza and 1,600 in Gaza governorate. It added:

Work will continue today in Rafah, where hundreds of tents are expected to be distributed to establish camps managed by local committees.

This initiative is part of the PRCS’s ongoing efforts to strengthen emergency response, provide health and relief support to those affected, and ensure the delivery of food aid and essential supplies to families in need.”

Hamas says group’s delegation in Cairo for talks on Gaza ceasefire

Agence France-Presse (AFP) have a little more on the news we just reported that a Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo.

An official told AFP the delegation “will discuss ways to end the current crisis and ensure the occupation’s commitment to implementing the agreement”.

Reuters reports that a Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo for further Gaza ceasefire talks.

An earlier statement by the group praised Jordan and Egypt for “rejecting displacement” plans for Palestinians in Gaza as proposed by US president Donald Trump, who has appeared in public to endorse the ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip as well as future US ownership of the territory.

The recently appointed president of Lebanon has commented on Israel’s continued military presence in the south of the country while meeting with Portuguese foreign minister, Paulo Rengal.

Lebanon’s National News Agency quotes Gen Joseph Aoun saying that EU countries should “pressure Israel to complete its withdrawal within the deadline of 18 February, and to return the displaced Syrians to their country after the reasons for their remaining in Lebanon no longer exist.”

Israel has requested to keep its troops in five posts in southern Lebanon until 28 February, a Lebanese official and foreign diplomat told Reuters on Wednesday.

Under a ceasefire deal agreed in November between Lebanon and Israel, Israeli troops had until 26 January to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

On the broader regional conflict, Aoun added that “Lebanon’s firm position on the Palestinian issue [is] supporting the two-state solution,” and said that Lebanon rejected “proposals that lead to any type of displacement of Palestinians from their land or infringement of their legitimate rights enshrined in UN resolutions.”

Israeli troops began their most recent military invasion of Lebanon in October 2024, a fortnight after an Israeli attack exploded walkie-talkies and pagers across the country.

Palestinian news agency Wafa is carrying some quotes from Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is visiting Indonesia on a state visit. It quotes him saying”

The establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with territorial integrity on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital can no longer be delayed. Any step, proposal or project that would undermine this matter is illegitimate in our view, and means more conflicts, more bloodshed and more instability.

Israel has requested to keep its troops in five posts in southern Lebanon until 28 February, a Lebanese official and foreign diplomat told Reuters on Wednesday.

Under a ceasefire deal agreed in November between Lebanon and Israel, Israeli troops had until 26 January to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

The deal has already been extended until 18 February but the sources said Israel had requested an additional extension through the committee overseeing the ceasefire.

Syria to have new government on 1 March, says foreign minister

Hamas praises Jordan, Egypt for ‘rejecting displacement’ in Gaza

Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will not travel to the US for talks at the White House if the agenda includes US president Donald Trump’s plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza, two Egyptian security sources told Reuters.

In a call between Trump and Sisi on 1 February, the US president extended an open invitation to his Egyptian counterpart to visit the White House, the Egyptian presidency previously said. No date has been set for any such visit, a US official said.

The Egyptian presidency and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuter’s requests for comment.

Qatar and Egypt ‘working intensively to resolve Gaza ceasefire crisis’

Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, said that all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza should “come back as soon as possible”, reports the Times of Israel.

According to the publication, Herzog said:

We are extremely anxious about our hostages who are in Gaza, in the worst of situations. We have terrible reports from hostages who came out.

We are getting reports about our hostages being in duress, tortured, and in the worst of conditions that any human being can suffer, and we want to see all of them back as soon as possible, and we insist that all of them come back as soon as possible.”

Herzog was speaking as he hosted Estonia’s president Alar Karis. The Times of Israel reports that a bilateral meeting between the two heads of state, initiated by Karis, covered regional challenges, the release of the hostages and bilateral cooperation.

US president Donald Trump appeared to prompt Jordan’s King Abdullah to say he would take in Palestinians from Gaza, as Trump hosted him in the White House on Tuesday.

The king, who is the first Arab leader to meet Trump since the Gaza plan was floated, said he would do what was best for his country, but said Jordan would take in 2,000 sick children from Gaza for treatment, an offer that Trump praised.

“The point is how to make this work in a way that is good for everybody,” Abdullah said, appearing uncomfortable, without explicitly supporting or opposing Trump’s plan. He later said in a post on X that he had reiterated Jordan’s “steadfast position” against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Trump puts Jordan’s king on the spot about plan to take in displaced Palestinians – video

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday for talks aimed at strengthening economic and defence ties between the two Muslim-majority nations, reports the Associated Press.

Erdoğan’s state visit to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country and south-east Asia’s largest economy, was his second stop in a four-day visit that also includes Malaysia and Pakistan.

Turkey and Indonesia held their first High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council summit after agreeing to create the forum at the G20 summit in Bali in 2022.

The discussions focused on current regional and global issues, particularly the war in Gaza, the two leaders said in a joint news conference after the meeting.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks next to Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, Indonesia, on Wednesday. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters

Subianto said the meeting was “intensive and productive” and the two countries share a commitment to strengthen their partnership. “President Erdoğan’s visit is a new chapter in our strategic partnership,” he added.

Indonesia has long been a strong supporter of Palestinians and Subianto said the two countries share the same view about the importance of a ceasefire and of a two-state solution.

Erdoğan said he appreciated Indonesia’s firm stance and repeated a call for Israel to pay for the reconstruction of Gaza, reports the AP. He estimated the total damage caused by Israel’s 15-month-long attacks is approaching $100bn, adding that “the principle in law is that damages should be collected from the person responsible”.

Source: www.theguardian.com