Negotiations held in Cairo to reach a ceasefire in Gaza were witnessing a “significant breakthrough,” two Egyptian security sources tell Reuters.
The sources said there was a consensus on a long-term ceasefire in the besieged enclave, yet some sticking points remain, including Hamas arms.
The sources said the ongoing talks included Egyptian and Israeli delegations. Mediators Egypt and Qatar did not report developments on the latest talks.
Earlier, Egyptian state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV reported Egyptian intelligence chief General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad was set to meet an Israeli delegation headed by strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer in Cairo yesterday.
Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem last night, before Reuters reported that there had been progress in the talks, Dermer said the government remained committed to dismantling Hamas’ military capability, ending its rule in Gaza, ensuring that the enclave never again poses a threat to Israel and returning the hostages.
UN lays out its arguments at the ICJ
Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands reports that the UN is presenting its arguments at the International Court of Justice hearing, stating that Israel has a two-fold obligation under international law.
“It has an obligation as an occupying power in the Palestinian territories, and that obligation runs to essentially being burdened with looking after the well-being of Palestinians,” Challands reports.
“That includes children’s education and welfare systems, medical facilities, including UN-established hospitals, and humanitarian relief operations. If it doesn’t do those things, then it’s in contravention of its obligations under international law.”
He adds that Israel also has an obligation as a signatory to the UN Charter, because the UN under that charter has immunities and exemptions that set it apart from other institutions and other multilateral organisations.
“Now, those obligations mean that you should not arrest or detain or attack UN staff, that you should not bomb UN facilities and buildings, and if you do you are in contravention of international law and the UN Charter, and Israel is a signatory to that charter, which is debated,” Challands reports.