Cairo: In a positive sign heralding a respite in the nearly seven-month war in Gaza, Hamas negotiators arrived in Cairo on Saturday to intensify talks on a possible ceasefire in Gaza that would involve the return of some hostages to Israel, while the Central The United States Intelligence Agency (CIA) was also present during the negotiations on indirect diplomacy. “Today’s results will be different. We have reached agreement on many issues, with a few points remaining,” one Egyptian security source told Reuters.
A Palestinian official with knowledge of the mediation efforts expressed cautious optimism. “Things are looking better this time, but whether an agreement can be reached will depend on whether Israel has offered everything needed to make it happen,” the official said. The Hamas delegation came from the headquarters of the Palestinian Islamist movement in Qatar, which along with Egypt had tried to mediate in the wake of a brief ceasefire in November.
The United States, although formally siding with Hamas, called on it to conclude a “generous” agreement. However, the talks have stalled due to Hamas’ long-standing demand for a commitment to end the nearly seven-month offensive by Israel, which insists that after any ceasefire it will resume efforts to disarm and eliminate the faction.
Possible breakthrough in ceasefire talks
Signaling a possible breakthrough, Hamas said on Friday it would arrive in Cairo in a “positive spirit” after reviewing the latest proposed agreement, little of which has been made public. Israel has already stated that it is open to novel conditions. This came after Egypt renewed efforts last month to restart negotiations amid growing international alarm over the prospect of an Israeli attack on Hamas in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge near the border with the Egyptian peninsula Sinai.
Egyptian sources say CIA Director Burns arrived in Cairo on Friday. He has participated in previous rounds of ceasefire talks and Washington has signaled there could be progress this time. Egyptian and US mediators have reported signs of compromise in recent days, but chances of a ceasefire agreement remain in limbo as it remains to be seen whether Israel will accept an end to the war without achieving its stated goal of destroying Hamas.
Egyptian media reported that consensus had been reached on many of the controversial issues, but provided no details. Hamas has called for a complete end to the war and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, something Israel has refused to accept in the past. Egypt has proposed a novel agreement providing for an immediate six-week ceasefire and the partial release of Israeli hostages.
Gershon Baskin, director of Middle East affairs at the Organization of International Communities, said it appeared Hamas had agreed to the framework proposed by Egypt and Israel had already accepted. He said that negotiators are currently working out the details and if Israel sends its best negotiators to Cairo after the end of the Sabbath on Saturday evening, it would mean that the matter is very solemn.
Israel downplays progress in ceasefire talks
However, a senior Israeli official downplayed the prospects for ending the war. The official told the Associated Press that Israel would under no circumstances agree to end the war as part of a hostage release agreement. This comes after Israeli attacks that killed at least six people in Rafah and the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Gaza’s health ministry said Saturday that the bodies of 32 people killed in Israeli attacks had been transferred to local hospitals in the past 24 hours. Following similar developments this week, Israel has informed Biden administration officials of plans to evacuate civilians ahead of the Rafah operation, according to U.S. officials familiar with the talks.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned that hundreds of thousands of people will be at “imminent risk of death” if Israel enters the densely populated city, which is also a critical entry point for humanitarian aid. The American director of the UN World Food Program, Cindy McCain, said that citizens of the northern part of Gaza were plunged into hunger.
Israel recently opened novel border crossings for aid into northern Gaza, but on Wednesday Israeli settlers blocked the first convoy before it entered the besieged enclave. After entering Gaza, the convoy was intercepted by Hamas fighters before UN officials took it over.
(with agency details)
