Egypt will host Gaza ceasefire talks between Israel and the Palestinians Wednesday in a bid to consolidate the truce reached last month.
Indirect talks between the Gaza-ruling Hamas movement and Israel will resume Wednesday, two days after the new reconciliation negotiations between Hamas and Fatah, MENA news agency quoted Egyptian officials as saying.
Azzam al-Ahmed, a senior Fatah official and head of the Palestinian delegation during last month's truce talks, has confirmed that indirect reconciliation talks will restart within days, and that "Egypt remains the sponsor of the reconciliation".
Hamas and Israel agreed a long-term ceasefire Aug 26 under the mediation of Egypt, ending seven weeks of deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. It was proposed that the reconciliation talks will be held within one month over several unresolved issues, including the establishment of a seaport and an airport in Gaza, as well as releasing Palestinian prisoners, which was agreed on with Israel in a previous prisoner swap.
The Israeli offensive, which started July 8, has left more than 2,100 Palestinians killed and 11,100 wounded. Hamas attacks also killed at least 64 Israeli soldiers and five civilians.
The hefty civilian toll has sparked international outcry. Israel has been strongly criticised for its heavy bombardment of densely populated areas in Gaza, while Hamas, the ruler of the tiny enclave, has drawn condemnation for its rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.
