Under a US-mediated truce, Israel and Hamas are locked in a blame game over ceasefire violations, threatening to unravel the fragile pause in Gaza's conflict.
Israel says it is preparing to reopen Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt but has not set a date as both sides accuse each other of breaking the truce.
At the heart of the standoff is the return of bodies of 28 hostages held by Hamas. Israel demands full handover, while Hamas says it has returned 10 bodies—one of which Israel disputes—and calls for heavy machinery to access remains in the rubble.
The armed wing of Hamas accused Israel of killing at least 24 Palestinians in shootings since Friday, submitting a list of alleged violations to mediators. Israel counters that troops only opened fire after warnings were ignored.
Israel's next phase of the 20-point plan calls on Hamas to disarm and cede power—conditions Hamas has so far rejected, opting instead to tighten control in urban areas through its own security measures.
So far, 20 living hostages have been freed in exchange for thousands of Palestinians jailed in Israel. Meanwhile, Israel has released 30 bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict, bringing the total handed over since Monday to 120.
International eyes now turn to longer-term elements of the plan—including a proposed stabilization force and Gaza's future governance. Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa says the PA will work with donors and institutions to tackle Gaza's security, logistics and financial challenges.
With a Gaza reconstruction conference looming in Egypt, key questions remain: how will funds be organized, who will distribute them, and under what oversight? Until answers emerge, the truce hangs in the balance.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
