Haniyeh to Visit Cairo to Discuss Ceasefire, Gaza Reconstruction

 Destruction in the Gaza Strip as a result of the recent Israeli air strikes. (AFP)
Destruction in the Gaza Strip as a result of the recent Israeli air strikes. (AFP)
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Haniyeh to Visit Cairo to Discuss Ceasefire, Gaza Reconstruction

 Destruction in the Gaza Strip as a result of the recent Israeli air strikes. (AFP)
Destruction in the Gaza Strip as a result of the recent Israeli air strikes. (AFP)

Palestinian Hamas Movement said its Chief Ismail Haniyeh will visit Cairo to hold talks over a lasting ceasefire and rebuilding Gaza.

Hamas has set several conditions to maintain ceasefire, said its spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanou, including halting aggression in Jerusalem, ending the displacement of Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and preventing all what could re-incite violence.

He also affirmed that the movement is ready to accept all the offers to reconstruct the enclave as soon as possible.

Another Hamas spokesman, Hamza Qassem, said the scheduled visit comes in line with Cairo’s efforts to curb the Israeli aggression against Palestinians and follow up the reconstruction process.

Haniyeh will head a high-ranking delegation in the few coming days, he added, without specifying a date.

Cairo had intensified its efforts to reach a truce in Gaza and is now leading coordinated efforts with the United State to push forward a new political process in the region that includes comprehensive calm and rebuilding of the Strip.

The US, Egypt, Qatar, the European Union and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland have also been engaged in talks to rebuild Gaza.

They consider the Palestinian Authority the “legitimate” party to discuss the process with rather than Hamas.

According to Israeli media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel will only agree on rebuilding Gaza when a joint mechanism is formed to “prevent Hamas from gaining extra power.”

Ashkenazi presented to his US counterpart a plan to provide aid to Gaza while separating between the “basic humanitarian aid, such as water and electricity” and reconstruction.



Israel Pounds Central Beirut, Suburbs after Major Evacuation Warnings

A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin
A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin
TT

Israel Pounds Central Beirut, Suburbs after Major Evacuation Warnings

A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin
A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin

Israeli strikes pounded a densely-populated part of the Lebanese capital and its southern suburbs on Tuesday, hours ahead of an anticipated announcement of a ceasefire ending hostilities between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

A strike on Beirut hit the Noueiri district with no evacuation warning and killed at least one person, Lebanon's health ministry said in a preliminary toll.

Minutes later, at least 10 Israeli strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs. They began approximately 30 minutes after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for 20 locations in the area, the largest such warning yet.

As the strikes were under way, Israel's military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the air force was conducting a "widespread attack" on Hezbollah targets across the city.

The Israeli military said it was currently striking Hezbollah in the Beirut area saying: "You are located near facilities and interests affiliated with Hezbollah, against which the Israel Forces will act in the near future," military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X including a map of the targeted areas.

The army in a statement minutes later said it "is currently conducting strikes on Hezbollah terror targets in the area of Beirut" but did not provide more details.