A tripartite meeting is to take place in Cairo, with the participation of Egypt, Qatar and Hamas. The Hamas delegation will be led by Khalil al-Hayya, a member of the political branch of the movement for the Gaza Strip, heavily involved in the negotiations, a senior Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“The atmosphere is positive, except for new obstacles from Israel,” an official of the Islamist movement, who asked to remain anonymous, told AFP. “No major problem exists in the comments and demands that Hamas will present regarding the content of the proposal at this meeting,” he added.
The proposal was drafted by Egypt and adjusted by Israel. It was presented in response to Hamas’ insistence, in mid-April, for a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, which Israel refuses to consider.
Details of the Israeli proposal have not been made public, but according to the US news site Axios, citing Israeli officials, it includes a willingness to discuss “establishing a lasting calm” in Gaza.
The meeting in Cairo takes place almost seven months after the beginning of the war triggered by the bloody attack of the Palestinian Islamist movement against Israel on October 7.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have tried, so far in vain, to convince the two warring parties to stop fighting. However, in late November, a week-long truce led to the release of 80 hostages held by Hamas and 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Follow us on Google News
Tags: Hamas Expected Respond Gaza Ceasefire Offer Atmosphere Positive
-
