Hamas demands Egyptian and US oversight of ceasefire

A Hamas delegation met with the head of Egyptian intelligence in Cairo to address the state of the ceasefire in Gaza and the growing tensions between Hamas and Israel.

The movement affirmed that it was ready to implement the first stage of the agreement, but also accused Israel of "continuing violations" that they say threaten the entire ceasefire.

Hamas has called for the creation of a clear mechanism, overseen by Egypt, Qatar and the US, to record the violations and stop them immediately.

The talks also addressed the fate of Hamas fighters holed up in tunnels in Rafah, with whom communications have been cut off. According to the Israeli army, five senior Hamas members were killed on 22 November, while Gaza medics reported at least 20 casualties from Israeli airstrikes. The situation remains tense, but mediators are trying to keep a fragile ceasefire in place.

(reuters, hal)