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Cease-fire Deadline Looms Over Israel, Hamas

by VOA News August 07, 2014

Egyptian officials are working to mediate a deal between Israel and Hamas in Cairo, with less than a day remaining before the end of a fragile three day cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

Both sides appeared to be far apart, but after a month of violence that has left hundreds dead, they have suggested they are willing to extend the humanitarian truce.

Israeli officials have said they were willing to extend the cease-fire unilaterally, but Hamas representatives have denied an agreement is in place. Both sides have said they were prepared for more fighting if their conditions are not met.

The Palestinians are calling for an end to the border blockade of Gaza, while Israel wants the full demilitarization of the Gaza strip.

In an interview with the German daily Bild, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman suggested EU observers could monitor the Gaza border and called on Germany to help find a solution to the conflict.

Speaking Wednesday at a summit of African leaders in Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama threw his support behind the Egypt-mediated talks, saying it is important to find a more sustainable solution.

'The U.S. goal right now would be to make sure that the cease-fire holds, that Gaza can begin the process of rebuilding, and that some measures are taken so that the people of Gaza feel some sense of hope. And to the people of Israel, [that they] feel confident that they're not going to have a repeat of the kind of rocket launches we've seen over the last several weeks,' he said.

Obama repeated his position that Israel had a right to defend itself from Hamas rockets and cross-border tunnels. He also said he had 'no sympathy' for Hamas, which the United States and Israel regard as a terror group.

The longstanding Israeli and Egyptian blockade of Gaza has led to widespread unemployment, forced a majority of Gazans to rely on food aid, and kept them from traveling outside the densely populated enclave.

Israel said it would not loosen its restrictions on Gaza unless it received assurances Hamas is disarmed and unable to import weapons.

Earlier this week, Israel pulled its troops out of Gaza, saying it had successfully destroyed all known tunnels Hamas has used to attack Israel.

In the four weeks of fighting, more than 1,800 Palestinians were killed, mostly civilians and hundreds of children. Sixty-four Israeli soldiers and three civilians also were killed.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday said the 'massive deaths and destruction in Gaza have shocked and shamed the world.'

Ban told the General Assembly that the violence must stop now, stressing that no effort can be spared to 'turn the current calm into a durable cease-fire that addresses the underlying issues of the conflict.'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli action was justified. He called every civilian casualty a tragedy, but one of Hamas' own making, saying the militant group placed its fighters among the civilian population.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.