Efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Today (November 22), the Gaza Contact Group is expected to travel to Europe to meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, continuing their trip to seek a solution to the Hamas-Israel conflict.

According to TASS, the group of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria and Türkiye arrived in Russia on November 21, after arriving in Beijing the day before. The trip, which is also expected to visit the US, as well as meet with representatives of UN Security Council members "influential to Israel", is aimed at seeking an immediate ceasefire and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

UN staff distribute aid in Rafah City in the Gaza Strip on November 21.

Receiving the delegation, Mr. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau - Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee - Chinese Foreign Minister, said that Beijing calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. In addition, China opposes any forced displacement of Palestinians and emphasizes that any arrangement regarding the future and destiny of the Palestinian people must have their consent, according to the Global Times, citing Mr. Wang Yi.

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On the Hamas side, The Guardian newspaper on November 21 quoted the leader of this force, Ismail Haniyeh, announcing that he had responded to Qatari mediators and was about to reach a ceasefire agreement with Israel. Hamas official Izzat el Reshiq said the negotiations focused on a "multi-day" ceasefire, arranging for aid to enter Gaza, and exchanging hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. Specifically, the agreement could include the release of Israeli women and children in Gaza, in exchange for Palestinian women and children in "occupied prisons". Mr. el Reshiq said Qatar would announce the agreement.

The agreement is expected to include a five-day ceasefire, including a ground ceasefire and a limit on Israeli air strikes in southern Gaza, sources told AFP. In return, 50 to 100 of the estimated 240 hostages held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad would be released, including Israeli and foreign citizens, but no soldiers. The Times of Israel quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that "we are very close to reaching an agreement" on the release of some Gaza hostages.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden on November 20 shared his confidence that an agreement to free Gaza hostages was near. In Washington, a group of Democratic senators wrote a letter urging Mr. Biden to encourage Israel to take immediate steps to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, including reopening a key border crossing.

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"Eliminating the threat from Hamas and protecting civilians are not mutually exclusive goals. International humanitarian law requires that civilians be protected in armed conflict," the letter said. At least 12,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli retaliation after Hamas launched an attack on October 7 that killed about 1,200 people in Israel. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the civilian death toll in Gaza was "unprecedented" compared to any conflict since he took office in 2017.

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