Iran may dump revenge plan for Gaza ceasefire

Palestinian children wait at a food distribution point in Deir el-Balah

In a last-ditch effort to quell Iran's seething rage against Israel over the assassination of Hamas's political leader in Tehran, leaders from West Asian countries gathered at an emergency summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah to explore peace options, CNN reported.

But could Tehran instead be prepared to pull back in exchange for progress on Gaza peace talks? That was the hope among regional leaders gathered at an emergency summit in Jeddah, CNN opined.

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Locals check damage to a school in Gaza City. Pics/AFP

Since Hamas's political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran last week, the Iran leaders have vowed vengeance against Israel, whom they claim was responsible. Israel hasn't confirmed or denied responsibility. According to CNN, flights across Iran and its neighbours were cancelled amid fears that missiles could fly any moment, triggering a much-feared escalation of Israel's war in Gaza.

With his country on the brink of triggering a regional war, Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri attended the OIC Summit on Wednesday.

CNN quoted Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi as saying, "The first step toward stopping the escalation is ending its root cause, which is the continued Israeli aggression on Gaza."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US has told both- Israel and Iran that "no one should escalate this conflict". He added that the ceasefire negotiations have reached "a final stage", CNN reported.

No excuses: US, frustrated mediators tell Israel, Hamas

Leaders of the United States, Egypt and Qatar jointly demanded Israel and Hamas return to stalled talks on the war in Gaza next week, saying Thursday that "only the details" of carrying out a cease-fire and hostage release remain to be negotiated. "There is no further time to waste, nor excuses from any party for further delay," they said in a joint statement. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Thursday that it had accepted the invitation. President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim al-Thani, mediators in indirect negotiations to end 10 months of war in Gaza, set the talks for August 15, to take place in either Doha, Qatar, or Cairo. There was no immediate response to the offer by Hamas.

Israeli troops launch assault in Khan Younis

Israeli troops launched a new assault on Friday into the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, targeting Hamas fighters who the military claims still operate there despite repeated offensives, as American, Qatari and Egyptian mediators renewed their push for a ceasefire deal. Israeli evacuation orders triggered yet another exodus of Palestinians from the heavily destroyed eastern districts of Khan Younis.

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