Palestinian FM positive on ceasefire, renews ICC talks

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki on Tuesday said he was optimistic the latest ceasefire in Gaza will hold, even as Palestinians renewed efforts to haul Israelis before the International Criminal Court for war crimes. A 72-hour truce took hold in the shattered enclave earlier on Tuesday after a Cairo-brokered deal was accepted by both Hamas and Israel, ending 29 days of heavy fighting which has claimed more than 1,800 lives. ‘We expect the ceasefire to expand into another 72 hours and beyond,’ Malki told reporters at a press conference in The Hague, where he earlier met the ICC's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda. ‘We have heard that Israel has really committed itself to withdrawing... but it really depends on Israel and the seriousness of the Israeli side,’ Malki said. Malki's meeting with Bensouda was to discuss the latest steps needed for Palestine to sign up to the court's founding Rome Statute. The Palestinian leadership has since been under intense pressure from various countries including the US, Britain and France to desist from signing up to the ICC, according to AFP.