Hamas has welcomed the ceasefire proposal in Gaza and now we are waiting for Israel’s response,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, during his visit to Madrid today.
“The ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners and detainees must be accepted. Hamas’ initial statements indicate that it has positively received the agreement proposal, and now we await the Israeli response,” Shoukry stated during a press conference with his Spanish counterpart, José Manuel Albares, emphasizing that “the war in the Gaza Strip exposes the region to chaos, and Israel’s practices violate international law.”
The Egyptian minister appreciated “Spain’s position in favor of the Palestinian cause, especially after the recognition of the State of Palestine.” “We must respect the rules of international law, adhere to the decisions of the International Court of Justice, and preserve the international multilateral action system,” he added, aware that “the war in the Gaza Strip has had catastrophic repercussions on the Palestinian people,” making the territory “unlivable.”
Agenzia ANSA La roadmap con le 3 fasi del possibile accordo – Notizie – Ansa.it Dalla prima tregua di 6 settimane al cessate il fuoco permanente (ANSA) “We hope to resolve the Palestinian cause based on the two-state solution and the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.” “The Egyptian position is clear in rejecting Israeli presence on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing,” he continued, clarifying that “the peace treaty with Israel is important and must be respected,” and that “it is difficult to reopen the Rafah crossing without a Palestinian administration on the other side.”
The Egyptian minister also reiterated that Cairo opposes Israeli presence at the Rafah border between the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip. “It is difficult for the Rafah crossing to continue operating without a Palestinian administration,” Shoukry noted.
“Spain and Egypt are working together to open all land crossings to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” Albares emphasized, noting “the delicate situation in which Egypt finds itself as a consequence of Israel’s offensive in Rafah, where a ceasefire is needed, as demanded by the International Court of Justice.”
The Spanish Foreign Minister thanked the Cairo government for “efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire agreement, release the hostages held by Hamas, and deliver aid to Gaza, ending unbearable suffering for the population.” Albares reiterated that Madrid supports “President Biden’s proposal” and assured that Spain, having recognized the State of Palestine, “is working with Egypt for lasting peace” in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his part, confirmed that “the proposed agreement includes a temporary ceasefire for the release of the captives.” He then added, as reported by the media, that Biden’s plan “is partial because there are other details that have not been disclosed.” “However,” he clarified, “the war will be stopped in order to return the captives, and then we will discuss.”
According to Israel Ha-Yom, the same sources mentioned that Netanyahu summoned the National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, known for his radical right-wing views, to explain the possible agreement with Hamas. Israel Ha-Yom (considered close to Netanyahu) cites sources from the prime minister’s office indicating that the meeting is expected to take place in the coming hours.
The same sources indicated that it was explained to Ben Gvir, who strongly opposes the agreement, that in the potential deal, “the war does not end.” Both Ben Gvir and the other radical right-wing minister, Bezalel Smotrich, have threatened a possible exit from the government majority.
Madrid won’t ‘fall into Israel’s provocations’
The Spanish government “will not fall into Israel’s provocations,” which will not go unanswered, so it is coordinating with Ireland and Norway, joined by Slovenia, to determine the most “appropriate” response to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Albares stated during the press conference in Madrid with his Egyptian counterpart Shoukry, referring to the diplomatic crisis following the joint recognition of the State of Palestine by the three countries on May 28.
“There are courtesies and diplomatic usages that cannot be violated,” Albares emphasized, referring to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoning the ambassadors of the three countries to Jerusalem, filming them while showing images of Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas. “Filming the ambassadors and publicly exposing them when they were summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not respectful of the diplomatic relations we must have among friendly countries,” Albares stated, assuring that the three countries “will not be intimidated by this campaign.”
“We will not succumb to provocations and will act calmly, with poise, but we will provide the correct response,” Albares insisted. Regarding Israel’s ban on the Spanish Consulate General in Jerusalem from assisting Palestinians, with the threat of its closure, the Foreign Minister reiterated the “highly particular historical status” of the diplomatic mission established in 1853, “long before the existence of the State of Israel,” and assured that “it is operating entirely normally.”
Gantz to Blinken, priority is the return of the hostages
Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, stated to X that he had a conversation last night with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and clarified that he considers the return of the hostages a “priority in the war timeline.” “Yesterday, I spoke with Secretary of State Blinken about efforts to secure an agreement for the return of the hostages. I emphasized to him that the State of Israel is committed to the return of the hostages and considers it not only a higher moral responsibility but also a priority in the war timeline. We intend to do everything necessary to exhaust every opportunity to achieve this goal. I reiterated to the Secretary the imperative of American pressure on negotiators to ensure the implementation of the agreement proposed by Israel.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in a call with Blinken, also informed the American Secretary of State that Israel is determined to dismantle Hamas and find an alternative for governing Gaza, according to the Times of Israel.
“Within any process of development, Gallant emphasized Israel’s commitment to dismantling Hamas as a governmental and military authority. In this regard, he discussed the issue of identifying and allowing the emergence of a local government alternative,” read the statement issued by his office.
Egypt continues its contacts to reach an agreement
“Egypt continues its contacts with all parties to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip” and is “ready to provide all support to the Palestinian citizens and work to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” stated a high-level source to Egyptian state broadcaster Al Qahera.
Meanwhile, a war of numbers continues between Egypt and Israel regarding the number of trucks actually entering the Strip from Kerem Shalom, while Rafah remains closed from the Palestinian side. According to the source, last week over 950 trucks of humanitarian aid managed to cross the border, and according to the Egyptian Red Crescent, another 800 are ready to enter Gaza immediately once Rafah can be opened. Israel announced yesterday that 1,858 trucks of aid entered the Strip in a week, twice the number declared by Egypt.
Tajani, we support US mediation for Gaza
“We strongly support” the Gaza ceasefire plan announced by the US president, “because it is time to finally reach this ceasefire that allows for the release of hostages and the delivery of aid to the Palestinian civilian population,” stated Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during an interview on Sky News 24. “We support this mediation and hope that Israel and Hamas can agree at least on this first attempt to suspend the war,” Tajani added.
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