I/II. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/08/palestinians-israelis-agree-new-truce-2014813203459774465.html Gaza ceasefire extended by five days Welcome reprieve continues for Gaza as sides agree more time needed to hammer out a permanent end to conflict. Last updated: 14 Aug 2014 04:56
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have agreed to extend a ceasefire in Gaza for another five days after failing to reach a long term agreement in Cairo-mediated talks, Palestinian and Egyptian officials said on Wednesday. A previously agreed three-day truce was set to expire less than an hour afterwards, at midnight local time (2100 GMT). "We have agreed to give more time for the negotiations," Azzam al-Ahmed, head of the Palestinian delegation in Cairo said on Wednesday, saying the extra time would be a further five days. An Egyptian official said Israel also accepted the proposal. Israel had earlier said it would back an extension of the lull. Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli police said a rocket from Gaza had landed in southern Israeli, hours before the truce was supposed to come to an end, the Reuters news agency reported. However, Hamas denied it was responsible for firing it. Israel responded, targeting sites across the Gaza Strip. It was not clear if the fighting was isolated or might shatter the truce. The ceasefire extension is meant to grant both sides additional time to negotiate a longer-term truce and a roadmap for the coastal territory. The lull in violence has also been a welcome reprieve for Israelis and Palestinians living in Gaza. During the temporary ceasefire, Israel halted military operations in the war-battered coastal territory and Gaza fighters stopped firing rockets, aside from the ones late on Wednesday. The two sides were considering an Egyptian proposal that partially addresses their demands, but deep differences have kept the deal in doubt. *Sticking points* Hamas is seeking an end to a crippling blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt in 2007. The blockade has greatly limited the movement of Palestinians in and out of the territory of 1.8 million people. It has also restricted the flow of goods into Gaza and blocked virtually all exports. Israel says the closure is necessary to prevent arms smuggling, and officials are reluctant to make any concessions that would allow Hamas to declare victory. Israel wants Hamas to disarm, or at least be prevented from re-arming. Hamas has recovered from previous rounds of violence with Israel, including a major three-week ground operation in January 2009 and another weeklong air offensive in 2012. Neither side is likely to see all of its demands met, but the Egyptian proposal tabled on Tuesday offered some solutions. A member of the Palestinian delegation at the Cairo talks said the proposal calls for easing parts of the Israeli blockade of Gaza, bringing some relief to the territory. The proposal leaves the key areas of disagreement, including Hamas' demand for a full lifting of the blockade and Israeli calls for Hamas to disarm, to later negotiations. Nearly 2,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its Gaza offensive on July 8 to halt cross-border rocket fire. On the Israeli side, 67 people have been killed, 64 of them soldiers. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies II. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28782224 14 August 2014 Last updated at 03:28 Israel and Palestinians begin tense five-day Gaza truce Thousands of homes have been destroyed by the fighting in Gaza, according to the United Nations Israel and the Palestinians have begun a fresh five-day ceasefire in Gaza, agreed at the end of a three-day truce. As the ceasefire was announced, Israel launched air strikes in response to alleged rocket fire from Gaza. There were no more reports of violence overnight, and the two sides were expected to continue indirect talks mediated by Egypt in Cairo. The Israelis launched a military operation in Gaza on 8 July to stop militant attacks from Gaza. 'Forbiddingly difficult' Hamas, which controls Gaza and is involved in the Cairo talks, has denied its members launched rockets at Israel on Wednesday night. Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said on Twitter: "No need to jump to conclusions. I don't know who launched 10pm (19:00GMT) rocket at Israel." There was no immediate report of casualties from either side. The current ceasefire began on Monday, and has now been extended for five days The brief truce has enabled Palestinian fishermen to go back out to sea Palestinian sources say the truce extension will create a window for further negotiations. But the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Gaza says future talks are likely to be forbiddingly difficult. Officials from both sides have been communicating their demands through Egyptian intermediaries in Cairo. The talks are aimed at finding a more durable solution to the conflict in Gaza. Demands postponed The Palestinian side wants the blockade on Gaza to be lifted, while Israel wants the territory to be fully disarmed. Israel has indicated it may agree to relax parts of the blockade, Egyptian and Palestinian sources said. Other proposals under discussion include reducing the "no-go" zone in Gaza, and increasing the offshore fishing zone for Gaza fishermen. Egyptian mediators have proposed that discussion of other demands, such as the opening of a seaport in Gaza and the return of the remains of two dead Israeli soldiers, be postponed. Israel's anti-missile system could be seen intercepting rockets fired from Gaza on Wednesday The two sides are engaged in indirect negotiations in Cairo About 2,000 people have died since the fighting in Gaza began on 8 July. Those killed include more than 1,900 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the United Nations. Sixty-four Israeli soldiers have been killed in the violence and three civilians in Israel have also died. Tension between Gaza and Israel rose after the abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in June. Israel blamed the killings on Hamas, though the group denied involvement. Tension rose further after the suspected revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem on 2 July. Six Jewish suspects were arrested over the youth's abduction and murder. Israel occupied Gaza in 1967 and only pulled its troops and settlers out in 2005. However, it still exercises control over most of Gaza's borders, water and air space. Egypt controls Gaza's southern border. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
