Representative to head to Cairo, nothing new on ceasefire: PIJ source
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The source in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad tells Anadolu Agency that one of the movement's conditions is stopping the assassination policy by IOF in exchange for calm.
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Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Wednesday, May 10, 2023 (AP)
There has been nothing new regarding the talks on a ceasefire between the Israeli occupation and Resistance factions in Gaza, a source in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement told Turkish Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.
The head of PIJ's political division, Muhammad Al-Hindi, will head to Cairo on Thursday to discuss developments in the situation and stopping the aggression on Gaza.
The source added that the movement demands an Israeli commitment to stop the assassination policy in order to achieve calm in Gaza.
On the other hand, Israeli Finance Minister Bezel Smotrich, who also serves as Security Minister, said he would not oppose a ceasefire if Islamic Jihad stopped the rocket fire.
Read more: Israeli aggression on Gaza continues, Resistance targets settlements
He explained, "From our point of view, if they stop shooting at us, there is no need to continue."
The Israeli occupation continues its aggression against the Gaza Strip for the third day in a row, while the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that the outcome of the aggression on Gaza amounted to 25 martyrs and 70 wounded.
Amid the continuous heinous Israeli aggression against the strip, Israeli correspondent Barak Ravid revealed that US President Joe Biden's administration officials stressed to "Israel" the need to de-escalate the ongoing situation in Gaza.
"Biden administration officials spoke last night with their Israeli counterparts and stressed that while the U.S. supports Israel's right to defend itself, there is a need to de-escalate the situation in Gaza," Ravid tweeted.
The Israeli correspondent suggested that "the fact that the Biden administration made these messages public suggests there is a growing pressure by the U.S. on Israel to end its military operation in Gaza."
Despite the Pentagon saying that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday "reaffirmed his ironclad support for Israel’s security," it said that the US Defense chief "urged de-escalation towards a sustainable calm."
Similarly, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke to his Israeli counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi, "noted continued regional efforts to broker a ceasefire, and emphasized the need to deescalate tensions and prevent further loss of life," as per a White House statement.
In the same context, Kan correspondent Gili Cohen cited an unnamed Israeli source as saying that despite the continuation of the Israeli aggression against Gaza, "there are still efforts for a ceasefire," pointing out that "Egypt, Qatar, the UN, and the US are involved in the talks, with different intensity and influence."
Read more: Hezbollah, Ansar Allah condemn Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip
The Israeli official said that "all parties have an interest in bringing about a ceasefire," as per Cohen's tweet.
Likewise, Haaretz newspaper quoted a senior political source as saying that "Israel has an interest in ending the conflict with the Gaza factions as soon as possible."
It is noteworthy that on Wednesday, sources in the Palestinian Resistance factions' joint operations room told Al Mayadeen that "the occupation pressed through various mediators to push for a ceasefire," noting that "the Resistance remained steadfast in its demand for a clear [Israeli] commitment to stopping the assassinations policy."
The sources also expressed the Resistance's "readiness to fight for the longest time period yet and to expand the ring of fire if necessary."
