Hassan Al-Warfalli (Cairo)
Yesterday, a new round of truce talks between the Palestinian and Israeli sides began in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, indirectly, in the presence of CIA Director William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, and the head of Egyptian General Intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel.
The Israeli negotiating delegation included the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, and the Israeli army delegate in the negotiations, Major General Nitzan Alon. The Tel Aviv government granted its delegation broad powers in the negotiating process to reach a comprehensive framework that would push towards concluding a prisoner exchange deal. .
Sources familiar with the discussions confirmed to Al-Ittihad that the current round of negotiations could achieve a real and effective breakthrough during the discussions after granting the Israeli negotiating delegation broad powers, indicating the desire of Cairo and Washington to build bridges of trust during the negotiations by agreeing on a temporary humanitarian truce during the days of Eid al-Fitr. Mubarak, and is not linked to the current truce talks.
The sources indicated that the Israeli side agreed to increase the volume of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in the coming days, and to bring aid into all areas of the Strip without exception, in addition to accelerating the pace of meeting all the needs of the displaced Palestinians in Rafah in particular.
Israeli media announced that the American side is leading the current negotiating round and is exerting great pressure, indicating that all parties are showing greater flexibility than before in the truce negotiations.
Media reports suggested that news of the withdrawal of the Israeli Army's 98th Division from Gaza was part of a move aimed at bringing about a breakthrough in the exchange deal talks in Cairo, in addition to what was said to be an “expanded mandate” in the conduct of the negotiations.
The Israeli War Cabinet decided to expand the powers of the Israeli negotiating delegation in the Cairo talks to complete an exchange deal with the Palestinian factions, days after the phone call between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In turn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that there will be no ceasefire without the return of the hostages in Gaza.
In another context, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi discussed with William Yerns, head of the US Central Intelligence Agency, the joint Egyptian-Qatari-American efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where they reviewed the latest developments in the field situation in the Strip and the necessity it imposes to intensify efforts to calm the situation and stop the military escalation. . The Egyptian presidency confirmed that Al-Sisi warned of the seriousness of the humanitarian conditions reaching the point of famine in the Gaza Strip, which necessitates concerted international efforts, without delay, to press for the immediate implementation of relief aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip in an adequate manner. The Egyptian presidency explained that the meeting witnessed agreement on the need to protect civilians and the danger of military escalation in the city of Rafah, as well as a complete rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from their lands. The Egyptian President also stressed the need to work seriously towards a just settlement of the Palestinian issue through the two-state solution, warning against the expansion of the circle of conflict in a way. It harms regional security and stability.
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