UN Envoy for the peace process in the Middle East Nikolai Miladinov continues his efforts to maintain a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip in order to prevent further deterioration of the security situation, pushing Tel Aviv to carry out a military operation against the Strip.
Miladinov held a series of meetings during the past few days with Israeli officials and others from Hamas’s leadership, including Head of Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh.
He will also hold meetings in the coming few days to carry out consultations on some ideas that could be developed by several parties, including the UN, Egypt.
Miladinov is exerting extra efforts to maintain this ceasefire for years, and not only for a short period of time, Palestinian sources with knowledge of the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat.
They added that the UN envoy is also supporting Egypt’s efforts to reach a conciliation through different solutions, including the support of the UN and other international parties for projects in Gaza.
According to sources, should Miladinov’s efforts to maintain the ceasefire and stop tensions along the border fail, they could be the last.
They stressed that provocative acts might lead to a fierce, wide-ranging battle despite the unwillingness of both parties.
In his two consecutive visits to Gaza in one day for the first time in years, Miladinov has brought different ideas to both Hamas and Israel of which the Palestinian Authority and Egypt were aware, sources said.
They pointed out that Miladinov’s ideas include maintaining cease-fire through a complete cessation of firing of incendiary bombs towards Israeli towns in exchange for cessation of Israeli shelling along the borders and at the sea towards fishermen, reopening of Karm Abu Salem crossing, aka Kerem Shalom, and return the fishing zone to the ranges previously in place.
