Israel and Hamas unable to reach ceasefire agreement in Cairo; negotiations to continue
PTC News Desk: On Sunday, Israeli and Hamas delegations were unable to finalize a ceasefire agreement during talks held in Cairo. According to sources cited by Reuters, both sides rejected several compromises put forward by mediators aimed at halting hostilities in Gaza.
Despite the lack of an agreement, a senior U.S. official characterized the discussions as "constructive," noting that all parties engaged in the negotiations with a genuine intent to reach a "final and implementable agreement." The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, mentioned that the process would continue over the coming days through working groups that would further address unresolved issues and details.
The Cairo meeting represented a culmination of months of negotiations that followed the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, against Israel and the subsequent intense military campaign by Israel in Gaza.
One of the major sticking points in the ongoing negotiations—mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar—is Israel's proposed military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow 14.5-kilometer strip along Gaza's southern border with Egypt. Mediators offered several alternatives to this presence, as well as to Israel's proposed presence in the Netzarim Corridor, which runs across the middle of the Gaza Strip. However, these alternatives were not accepted by either party.
Additionally, Israel expressed concerns over the release of several Palestinian detainees, insisting that if released, these individuals should not remain in Gaza. This condition further complicated the talks.
Efforts to bridge the gaps continued with teams from Israel, the United States, and Egypt working closely together. On Saturday, mediators from Qatar and Egypt presented Hamas with the latest proposal. Israel joined the discussions on Sunday, raising objections to the existing terms of the proposal.
Hamas accused Israel of retracting its earlier commitment to withdraw troops from the Philadelphi Corridor and introducing new conditions, such as assessments of displaced Palestinians returning to the northern part of Gaza once the ceasefire is implemented. Hamas official Osama Hamdan expressed the group's stance during an interview with Al-Aqsa TV, stating, "We will not accept discussions about retractions from what we agreed to on July 2 or new conditions."
Back in July, Hamas had agreed to a U.S. proposal to initiate discussions on releasing Israeli hostages, including soldiers and civilians, 16 days after the first phase of a proposed agreement to end the Gaza conflict.
After the talks concluded on Sunday, the Hamas delegation left Cairo, reiterating their demand for any agreement to include a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Senior Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq emphasised this position to Reuters, making it clear that Hamas remains firm on its conditions for peace.
- With inputs from agencies
