Israeli delegation leaves Cairo without making progress in Gaza negotiations

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today that the Israeli negotiating delegation returned from Cairo without achieving any progress in talks with Hamas.

The newspaper quoted a source informed on the details of the meetings as saying “no significant progress has been reached, with big gaps still remaining between Israel and Hamas’ stances.”

Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou yesterday called on mediators and the international community to take immediate action to salvage the ceasefire agreement in Gaza in light of “daily violations, the criminal behaviour of the Israeli occupation, and the tightening of the siege.”

Hamas handed its response to a US proposal over to the mediators on Friday, stating that it was willing to release Edan Alexander, a US soldier, and the bodies of four other dual nationals, as part of the preparations for completing the agreement and moving towards the second phase.

The movement’s proposal was a modification of a proposal by United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, which included the release of five living captives, including Edan Alexander, and the bodies of ten dead captives, in exchange for the release of Palestinians according to a set criteria, the entry of humanitarian aid, and a cessation of military operations, similar to the first phase. In addition, there would be a ceasefire of 42 to 50 days, during which an end to the war would be discussed. However, Israel rejected Hamas’s proposal.

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