A High level talks round in Cairo It aims to end the 10-month-long war at least temporarily through a ceasefire and hostage agreement. Israel–Hamas War in Gaza A US official said the talks ended on Sunday (August 25, 2024) without a final agreement. But lower-level talks will continue in the coming days in an attempt to bridge remaining differences.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks, said lower-level “working teams” would remain in Cairo to meet with mediators from the United States, Qatar and Egypt in hopes of ironing out remaining disagreements. The official described the recent talks, which began in Cairo on Thursday and continued through Sunday, as “constructive,” and said all sides were working to “reach a final and implementable agreement.”
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The talks were attended by CIA Director William Burns and David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. The Hamas delegation was briefed by Egyptian and Qatari mediators but did not directly participate in the talks.
This development has come to light after increased tensions between Israel and America. Heavy firing between Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah Early on Sunday, the two sides signalled that the most intense talks between them in months had ended, amid widespread fears that they could escalate into a full-blown war.
Hezbollah claimed it attacked an Israeli military intelligence site near Tel Aviv as part of an assault by hundreds of rockets and drones, and Israel claimed dozens of its attacks were preemptive. Averting a major attackNo one presented any evidence.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the attack, in retaliation for Israel’s killing of a top militant commander in Beirut last month, was delayed to allow Gaza ceasefire talks a chance and for other Iran-backed groups to discuss with Iran whether to launch a joint attack on Israel. Israeli and US military deployments also played a role.
Mr Nasrallah said that “we now reserve the right to respond later” if Sunday’s attack did not produce enough results, adding that allied Houthi rebels in Yemen – and Iran itself – had not yet responded. But he told the Lebanese people: “In this current situation, the country can breathe a sigh of relief and relax.”
Israel and Hezbollah said they only hit military targets. Israel said no military targets were hit by Hezbollah, but one of its navy soldiers was killed and two others wounded, either by an interceptor for incoming fire or by shrapnel from one. The groups said two Hezbollah fighters and a militant from an allied group were killed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the army had destroyed thousands of rockets aimed at northern Israel and shot down drones heading toward the centre of the country.
“I repeat — this is not the end of the story,” he said.
Air raid sirens were reported across northern Israel, and Israel’s international airport was closed for about an hour and flights were diverted.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said about 100 Israeli aircraft attacked 270 targets, 90% of them rocket launchers aimed at northern Israel. He said they were checking the percentage of incoming rockets and drones intercepted, but said “the majority” were thwarted.
Hezbollah said it fired more than 320 Katyusha rockets and a “large number” of drones at several locations in Israel in its attack.
Some Israelis were shaken. In the northern city of Acre, Saadia Even Tsur, a 76-year-old retired teacher, said he was at synagogue and arrived home five minutes later after his bedroom was damaged. “I went upstairs and saw what a great miracle happened to me,” he said. A window was broken and debris lay on the bed.
Lebanon’s caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam said after an emergency government meeting that officials were “feeling a little more optimistic” about an easing of tensions after both sides confirmed the operation had ended.
According to National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett, President Joe Biden is “closely monitoring developments in Israel and Lebanon.” The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant and ordered both U.S. carrier strike groups in the region to stay put. The U.S. military has been building up its forces across the region in recent weeks.
General CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Israel late Sunday evening, where the Israeli military held a meeting titled “Joint Preparedness in the Region as a Response to Threats in the Middle East.”
Danny Citrinowicz, an expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, said Hezbollah is probably “trying to balance the equation without escalating to war.” He said each side hopes its story will be enough to declare victory and avoid a wider confrontation.
Hezbollah began attacking Israel soon after the war in Gaza began, beginning with a Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7. Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire almost every day, displacing thousands on both sides of the border.
Hezbollah, which suffered defeat in a war with Israel in 2006, is now considered much more powerful. The United States and Israel estimate that it has about 150,000 rockets and is capable of striking anywhere inside Israel. The group has also developed drones and precision-guided weapons capable of evading Israeli defenses.
Israel has vowed to respond strongly to any major attack by Hezbollah. It has an extensive multi-layered missile defense system, and is backed by the US-led coalition, which helped it shoot down hundreds of missiles and drones fired from Iran earlier this year.
Hezbollah is a close ally of Iran, which has also threatened retaliation against Israel for the killing of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Israel has not said whether it was involved.
Iranian state media described the Hezbollah attack as a success, but there was no immediate comment from Iranian officials.
The US and other mediators believe a ceasefire in Gaza is vital to averting a wider Mideast war. Hezbollah has said it will halt its attacks on Israel if a ceasefire holds.
The Israeli military said it had killed two people in the occupied West Bank who allegedly tried to run over soldiers in Ariel, leaving one person lightly injured.