Ahead of a new round of negotiations in the Gaza war, the Islamist Hamas has indicated that it will give in. There are still points to be discussed and clarifications to be made, but overall they are traveling to Cairo with a “positive attitude” towards the indirect negotiations to reach an agreement, Hamas circles said on Friday evening. According to a report, Israel had issued an ultimatum to the terrorist organization.
Hamas confirmed that its delegation would arrive in Cairo on Saturday. According to media reports, indirect negotiations on the release of hostages and a ceasefire will continue this weekend. William Burns, head of the US secret service CIA, arrived in Cairo on Friday, the news portal ‘Axios’ reported, citing three sources familiar with the process. However, a senior Israeli official told the Times of Israel that a deal was imminent. “Although the mediators express optimism, Israel has not yet heard that Hamas is willing to back away from its maximum positions,” the official said early on Saturday.
Hamas “only obstacle” to ceasefire
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Hamas “the only obstacle” to a ceasefire in the Gaza war with Israel. “We’re waiting to see if they can actually accept a yes answer to the ceasefire and the release of the hostages,” Blinken said Friday evening. “The reality right now is that Hamas is the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire.”
Media report: Israel threatened an offensive
Israel gave the terrorist organization Hamas one week to agree to a ceasefire. Otherwise, the announced military offensive on the city of Rafah will continue, the Wall Street Journal reported late Friday night, citing Egyptian officials familiar with the matter. Egypt transferred the proposal drawn up together with Israel to Hamas last weekend. Hamas’ exiled political leadership was expected to consult and respond to its military wing in the Gaza Strip, led by Yahya al-Sinwar.
No response from Hamas boss
But Sinwar, who is believed to have been hiding in tunnels under the coastal area and making the final decisions, did not respond, they said. Egyptian officials then delivered the message from Israel to Hamas on Thursday. Israel had announced a quick start to the offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza if an agreement was not reached.
The subject of the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, in which Egypt, Qatar and the US mediate, is a proposal that envisions the release of hostages held by Hamas and the cessation of hostilities by Israel in several phases, as “Axios” writes. . Similar efforts had failed in the past because Hamas made ending the war a condition for the release of hostages.
“First signs” of approval
Recently, observers assumed that Hamas would also reject this multi-phase mediation proposal. According to Axios, things could end differently. Senior Israeli officials said they had seen “early signs” that the Islamists might agree to the first phase of the deal – the release of women, children, the elderly and wounded among the hostages during a temporary ceasefire – without to insist, as has happened before. So far, Israel has committed from the start to ending the war.
From the start, the Israeli leadership has pushed for a multi-phase deal to preserve the option to continue the war if no further agreements are reached after the release of the first hostages and a limited ceasefire. At the same time, the Islamists would demand a price for giving in. According to Axios, Hamas could reduce the agreed number of hostages it releases on humanitarian grounds and in turn increase the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention centers to be released.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
