Israel was set to send a delegation to Cairo, capital of Egypt for talks with Hamas on a new ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip while a Hamas delegation has left the Egyptian capital after extensive discussions with Egyptian brokers, sources said Monday.
The Israel delegation, composed of security officials, will depart on Tuesday to discuss the deal with Egyptian brokers, according to Israel media reports.
The Hamas delegation left Cairo late on Monday and will "return with a written response to the truce proposal", according to Egyptian security sources.
Hamas said Monday in a statement that ensuring a permanent ceasefire is a fundamental cornerstone for moving towards the details of negotiations and the success of the agreement with Israel.
Abdul Latif al-Qanou, a spokesman for Hamas, stressed the necessity of fulfilling the demands of the Palestinian people, including "a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of forces from the Gaza Strip, and the return of refugees."
Under the mediation of Egypt, Israel proposed the latest ceasefire agreement, warning that now is the "last chance" for a truce deal before the Israeli army launches a ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge.
Israel has continued its massive airstrikes and shellings throughout the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct 7, 2023.
Over 34,400 Palestinians had been killed in the going conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to an update from the enclave's Health Ministry on Monday.
Rafah has been struck from the air multiple times and has also sustained some ground attacks, though not as extensive as those conducted by Israel in other areas of the coastal enclave.
From Sunday night to Monday morning, Israel's airstrikes on Rafah killed 26 people, injured many others, and left a lot of people still buried under the rubble, according to Palestinian media.
Israel to send delegation to Cairo for Gaza ceasefire talks
Israel to send delegation to Cairo for Gaza ceasefire talks: official
A Chinese mainland spokesperson said Lai Ching-te has sent "a dangerous signal" of seeking "Taiwan independence" and making provocations to undermine cross-Strait peace and stability in his speech upon assuming the role of Taiwan region's new leader on Monday.
Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, described Lai's speech as one that stubbornly followed the "Taiwan independence" stance, wantonly advocated separatism, incited cross-Strait confrontation and sought independence by relying on foreign support and by force.
Chen said the mainstream public aspiration on the island is for peace and development, instead of war and recession, while Lai has ignored the public opinion, exposing his nature of being "a worker for Taiwan independence."
The current complex and grave situation across the Strait is rooted in the fact that the Democratic Progressive Party has stubbornly stuck to the separatist stance of "Taiwan independence," rejected the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle, and kept colluding with external forces to make provocations of seeking "Taiwan independence," Chen said.
Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, said Chen, stressing that "Taiwan independence" and peace across the Strait are incompatible as fire and water.
"We have firm determination to resolve the Taiwan question and realize national reunification; we have strong capabilities to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity; and we will take resolute actions to fight separatist activities seeking 'Taiwan independence' and external interference," he said.
"We will never tolerate any 'Taiwan independence' separatist acts in any form," said Chen.
China must and will be reunified, Chen stressed. No matter how the situation on the island changes and who assumes the regional leader, it will not change the fact that both sides of the Strait belong to one China, or impede the historical trend of national reunification, he said.
"We will fully implement the Party's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, unswervingly uphold the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, work together with Taiwan compatriots to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and cross-Strait integrated development, and resolutely advance the reunification of the motherland," said Chen.
Mainland says Lai sends "dangerous signal" in speech as Taiwan's new leader
