Israel Struggle for continuation of Gaza ceasefire
Negotiations on a continuation of the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip are picking up speed. According to US special envoy Steve Witkoff, talks on the second phase of the agreement between Israel and the Islamist Hamas, in which all remaining Israeli hostages are to be released, will continue later this week at an as yet unknown location.
17.02.2025, 05:06
SDA
He had very "productive and constructive" telephone conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, Witkoff told US broadcaster Fox News.
The USA, Egypt and Qatar had mediated the first phase of the ceasefire and reached an agreement on the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. This first phase has been in place since January 19 and ends on March 1. However, it is uncertain whether the second phase of the deal, in which the fighting is to end for good, will actually come to fruition.
Hezbollah militia threatens Israel
The ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon is similarly fragile. The head of the Shiite militia, Naim Kassim, demanded in a televised address that Israel must "withdraw completely and without excuses on February 18" as agreed.
It was the task of the Lebanese state to ensure this, said Kassim. Should Israeli troops remain in Lebanon beyond this date, it would be an occupation - and "everyone knows how to deal with an occupation", he warned. According to unconfirmed media reports, Israel is demanding an extension of the withdrawal deadline until February 28. Lebanon's parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri, who is allied with Hezbollah, and the new president Joseph Aoun reject this.
According to Israel, the Lebanese army, which is supposed to ensure compliance with the ceasefire and prevent Hezbollah from returning to areas in the south of Lebanon, is not moving fast enough. Furthermore, Hezbollah has not withdrawn behind the Litani River, some 30 kilometers north of the Lebanese border, as agreed.
Israel sends delegation to Cairo
Israel's security cabinet will meet today to discuss the second phase of the Gaza agreement, as announced by Prime Minister Netanyahu's office following the announcement by US envoy Witkoff. On the same day, a delegation of Israeli negotiators will travel to the Egyptian capital Cairo for talks. After the security cabinet meeting, these negotiators would receive instructions for the second phase.
Demonstrators in Tel Aviv had once again accused Netanyahu at the weekend of wanting to thwart a continuation of the ceasefire in order not to alienate his far-right coalition partners and to be able to hold on to power. The head of government is under pressure from hardliners who want to continue the war in Gaza and completely destroy Hamas. At the weekend, a shipment of heavy bombs released by the new US administration arrived in Israel, which could help with this. According to local media reports, this involves 1,600 to 1,800 bombs.
Rubio: Hamas must be destroyed
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated in Israel on Sunday that Hamas, which came to power in the Gaza Strip in 2007, must no longer be allowed to remain the ruling force there. As long as it can threaten Israel with violence, peace will remain impossible, said Rubio after a meeting with Netanyahu. The Palestinian terrorist organization must be destroyed.
The war was triggered by the attack by Hamas and other extremists from Gaza on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, when around 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were deported to the Gaza Strip.
The relatives of the hostages still remaining in the sealed-off coastal area have been held captive for 500 days as of today. 73 are still being held, 36 of whom are probably no longer alive. At his meeting with US Secretary of State Rubio in Jerusalem, Netanyahu threatened that the "gates of hell" would open in the Gaza Strip if the hostages were not released.
