South African president pins hopes on Gaza ceasefire
The country has actively opposed the war in the Palestinian enclave and has filed a genocide case against Israel
President Cyril Ramaphosa has indicated that South Africa will undoubtedly welcome a ceasefire in Gaza to allow humanitarian aid and ultimately bring an end to the Israeli genocide against Palestine.
Ramaphosa was reacting to the reports of an increasing potential ceasefire truce following a brutal bombardment of Palestine by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) resulting in global organisations accusing Israel of engaging in genocide after killing more than 46,000 people, including children and women.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Mangwenya, told IOL that South Africa stood firm in its long-held view for the end of the displacement of the Palestinians. “We have consistently called for the opening up of humanitarian corridors.
Therefore, any ceasefire agreement will be a desperately needed development and will help aid those needing food, water, and medicine,” he said. Former Member of Parliament Ghaleb Cachalia said the breakthrough in the talks between Hamas and Israel is a positive development.
”A cease-fire and the release of both several Palestinians held by Israel without due process or just cause, and several hostages taken by Hamas is a welcome step. The phased withdrawal of the IDF, which has been responsible for the recorded deaths of almost 50,000 Palestinians – the majority of whom are women and children is also long overdue, as is a cessation of the relentless and indiscriminate flattening of Gaza.
“The problem also lies in the details of the proposed phased withdrawals and the continued control of supplies into Gaza by Israel of food, water, and medicines. Access to Gaza by international humanitarian and media bodies is of the essence to highlight the plight of Palestinians who have suffered an attempt at obliteration by Zionist Israel with the full support of the US government.”
Cachalia stated that the United Nations needed to step in to facilitate and monitor the reconstruction of the devastated landscape and the beleaguered people of Palestine. As ceasefire negotiations advance, Al Jazeera reported that residents in Gaza are expressing “a mixture of optimism and deep-seated skepticism. Reports indicated that by Tuesday morning, Israel killed 12 Palestinians in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, eight more in Deir el-Balah in the centre, and four others in Gaza City in the north, according to Al Jazeera.
In a phone interview with the US-based Newsmax network, US President Donald Trump reportedly said there had been a handshake and a Gaza ceasefire deal is very close and could be realised by the end of this week.
Trump’s incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, previously told reporters he was working alongside Biden administration officials during the negotiations and hoped to enact a temporary ceasefire deal before Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew has told Israel’s Army Radio that Israel has “broad support” for a ceasefire deal. As part of the deal, Hamas is expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of an emerging ceasefire agreement being finalized by negotiators in Doha.
