- Month long bitter fight that took place settled after a 72 -hour truce as Israel withdrew ground troops after a month of bitter fighting with Hamas and Palestinians surveyed ruined homes
- Delegations have been sent to Cairo from both the sides for aiming at a permanent ceasefire, this was the second time that they attempted for a truce
- Breakthrough emerged in Cairo where Palestinian and Egyptian intermediaries held two-days of talks with Hamas and Islamic Jihad representatives
- Negotiations that are going on currently might face a tough challenge with conflicting demands on both sides
- Israel wants Gaza to be demilitarized, however the Palestinians insist Israel end its eight-year blockade of the Gaza Strip and that border crossings be opened
- Palestinian Foreign Minister was positive on the ceasefire in Gaza would work, even as Palestinians renewed efforts to haul Israelis before the International Criminal Court for war crimes
- The ICC’s chief prosecutor and meeting with Mr.Bensouda discussed the latest action plan needed for Palestine to sign up to the court’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute
- He furthered opined the conflicts between Israel and militants from the Islamist movement and the Hamas forced the Palestinians to return to issue of ICC membership
- The ICC could launch a preliminary investigation into atrocities committed in Gaza if Palestinian is signed up
- However the officials stated that court did not have jurisdiction over alleged crimes as Palestine has not signed up to the ICC’s Rome Statute
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/threeday-truce-takes-hold-in-gaza/article6285341.ece