Hassan Al-Warfalli, Dina Mahmoud (Gaza, Cairo, London)
The Israeli cabinet granted broader powers to the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, during the truce negotiations that are taking place indirectly with the Palestinian factions, mediated by America, Egypt, and Qatar, especially with regard to the clause regarding the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority revealed that the head of the Mossad has updated the Israeli proposal, which includes greater flexibility regarding the return of Gazans to the northern Gaza Strip, noting that the Egyptian mediator will convey the Israeli proposal to the factions to decide on it.
Cairo received signals from the Israeli side that the cabinet might agree to grant broader powers to the negotiating delegation regarding the return of displaced persons from southern Gaza to the north during the humanitarian truce period, which is one of the most prominent demands that the factions adhere to during the negotiating process.
The Israeli side proposed during the negotiating rounds that faltered due to Israel's stipulation that 2,000 displaced persons return on a daily basis if the humanitarian truce agreed upon for a period of 6 weeks was agreed upon, meaning approximately 84,000 Palestinians from the north would return to their homes on the condition that they were not of military age.
The head of the Mossad informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it would not be possible to conclude a prisoner exchange deal without concessions regarding the return of Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza.
The Israeli delegation made a visit to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to consult on ways to move negotiations forward during the coming period, and to agree on a humanitarian truce that would require the release of a number of prisoners and lead to a cessation of military operations for several days, while negotiating a complete and comprehensive ceasefire agreement during the truce period.
In Tel Aviv, an Israeli official confirmed, in a briefing he gave to the Israeli media yesterday evening, the possibility of making progress in indirect negotiations with the Palestinian factions, in an attempt to conclude a prisoner exchange deal under an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza, explaining that “if the factions are interested in reaching To an agreement we can move forward. We have come a long way this time as well, and there is the possibility of making progress in the coming days.
The Israeli delegation in Cairo presented a new and updated position to the mediators after the Israeli government agreed to be more flexible regarding the return of residents to the northern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli official pointed to the seriousness and realism of the negotiating delegation and mediators with one goal, which is to reach an agreement, stressing that Tel Aviv needs a serious proposal from the factions in Gaza to move forward.
Despite the continued attempts to issue a UN resolution calling for an end to the war in Gaza, in conjunction with regional and international parties intensifying their efforts to agree to declare a truce there, the continuation of the fighting raises fears that there is no horizon for finding an immediate settlement to the crisis.
Experts, local people in the field of relief, and workers in humanitarian non-governmental organizations considered that the “next day” to bring the curtain down on the war in Gaza may not come soon, and that the Strip may be on the verge of entering a long-term “vicious circle” of unrest.
Experts pointed out that the talk about the “day after the war” scenario in the Gaza Strip has likely become surreal, given that it was originally based on the assumption that the war itself might end soon, a possibility that contradicts indications that suggest that the current fighting may It will continue for a very long time.
According to an analysis of the course taken by the ongoing battles for nearly half a year in Gaza, launching any discussions about the post-war era there under the current circumstances seems misleading or misplaced, at best, especially in light of the mounting warnings that the violence and crisis The severe humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip may continue for years, not months, albeit at a slower pace and less severe impact.
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