08-08-2014, 11:33 AM
NEGOTIATIONS STALL -- 72 HOUR TRUCE EXPIRES -- FIGHTING RESUMES
Well, the fighting is back on. Not too surprising, but very disappointing.
Immediately following the truce expiration, Hamas reportedly launched 30 rockets into Israel and Israel retaliated with airstrikes in Gaza.
The negotiations in Cairo, in a nutshell:
-Hamas reportedly agreed to extend the cease-fire in return for an agreement from Israel to end the border blockades so that Gaza Palestinians could travel and have exchanges and transactions beyond the small densely-populated strip. They also want 125 prisoners released from Israeli jails.
-Israel reportedly agreed to consider loosening the border policies with the condition that Hamas demilitarize (with provisions in place allowing Israel to monitor and ensure that weapons and materials for weapons-building weren't smuggled into Gaza after the border policy is loosened).
-Hamas declared that it will not demilitarize and the cease-fire expired.
-Talks are still underway with Palestinian factions in Cairo, but Israel officially pulled out stating that they won't negotiate while under fire.
Full report: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast...83978.html
Well, the fighting is back on. Not too surprising, but very disappointing.
Immediately following the truce expiration, Hamas reportedly launched 30 rockets into Israel and Israel retaliated with airstrikes in Gaza.
The negotiations in Cairo, in a nutshell:
-Hamas reportedly agreed to extend the cease-fire in return for an agreement from Israel to end the border blockades so that Gaza Palestinians could travel and have exchanges and transactions beyond the small densely-populated strip. They also want 125 prisoners released from Israeli jails.
-Israel reportedly agreed to consider loosening the border policies with the condition that Hamas demilitarize (with provisions in place allowing Israel to monitor and ensure that weapons and materials for weapons-building weren't smuggled into Gaza after the border policy is loosened).
-Hamas declared that it will not demilitarize and the cease-fire expired.
-Talks are still underway with Palestinian factions in Cairo, but Israel officially pulled out stating that they won't negotiate while under fire.
Full report: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast...83978.html