Cairo ceasefire talks
A new round of negotiation, on a potential Gaza ceasefire and the exchange of prisoners, has kicked off in the Egyptian capital with the participation of Israeli and Hamas delegations. According to media sources, representatives from the Hamas resistance movement, Israel, Egypt, Qatar and the United States are in attendance in the Cairo talks. The meeting comes two days after Hamas gave a positive nod to the proposed truce deal put forward by the Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The proposal includes a three-stage truce, each lasting 42 days.The potentially deal would allow the prisoner swap, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians, a permanent ceasefire and reconstruction of Gaza. Israel, however, rejected the proposal, arguing it did not meet its demands. The regime has also launched an invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah despite the talks and in defiance of international calls.
Israel Rafah aggression
It’s more than seven months since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza, more Palestinians fall victim to the onslaught, with the southern city of Rafah becoming the focal point of the regime's bombing campaign.
Israel’s invasion of Rafah is underway, with warplanes and artillery pounding residential areas. A number of civilians, mostly children have been killed so far. On Tuesday, Israeli forces also took control of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, blocking aid to the city which is overwhelmed by the Palestinians displaced elsewhere in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on the northern Strip left eight people dead and over a dozen others injured. Heavy air raids have also been reported in central Gaza, with the Nuseirat refugee camp remaining the main target. The Gaza health ministry says at least 54 people have been killed in a matter of 24 hours. The overall Palestinian death toll since early October now stands at nearly 34,800.
US pro-Palestine protests
American students continue their protests against US support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza despite police crackdown on university campuses. Protesters have gathered at the University of California, Berkley echoing pro-Palestine chants while holding banners reading “Hands off Rafah”. In the University of Washington in Seattle, the students have set up tents and held rallies to demand authorities cut ties with Israeli-linked companies. They also called on counter-protesters to join the movement. The University of New York was also the scene of anti-genocide protest that resulted in clashes between the police and the students. Scores of protesters were arrested there. The protest started at Columbia University on April 18th. More than 2,400 people have been arrested while many students suspended for their anti-Israeli stance. American campus protests have spilled over to other campuses around the world, including in France, Italy, the UK, Canada and Australia.