Israel, Palestinians Continue Talks as Cease-fire End Nears

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2014-08-13

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are meeting again Wednesday in Cairo in a final bid to find a resolution to their crisis before the expiration of a 72-hour cease-fire.

The halt in fighting is due to conclude at the end of the day Wednesday, threatening to extend a conflict that has killed nearly 2,000 people, mostly Palestinian civilians, since Israel launched an operation to halt militant rocket fire from the Gaza Strip on July 8.

The militant group Hamas, which has been running Gaza, is demanding Israel lift its blockade of the impoverished strip of land along the Mediterranean. Israel wants Hamas to be fully disarmed.

A similar three-day truce brokered by Egypt ended last week with no agreement, and hostilities between the two sides resumed with militants firing rockets from Gaza and Israeli forces carrying out airstrikes.

Source: Voice of America

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