Washington: According to sources briefed on the meeting on Tuesday, negotiations in Cairo are moving forward, and an agreement to end the 14-month-old war in Gaza and release inmates detained in the Palestinian enclave might be reached in the next few days.
In recent days, the US government has worked hard to move the negotiations along before President Biden steps down next month, with the help of mediators from Egypt and Qatar.
White House spokesperson John Kirby told Fox News, “We believe — and the Israelis have said this — that we’re getting closer, and without a doubt, we believe that, but we are cautious in our optimism.”
“We have previously been in this situation where we were unable to cross the finish line.”
According to the sources, a ceasefire agreement that would halt hostilities and exchange Palestinian inmates detained in Israeli prisons for those held by Hamas in Gaza might be reached in a matter of days.
In a statement, Hamas said that if Israel ceased imposing new requirements, a settlement might be reached. A Palestinian official involved in the mediation process stated the talks were serious and that every word was being discussed.
According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Netanyahu met with top military and security officials on Tuesday on Mount Hermon, a vital plateau just inside Syria. However, sources briefed on the meeting claimed that Netanyahu was en route to Cairo.
“The prime minister is not in Cairo,” his spokesperson wrote in a separate letter to Israeli media.
Netanyahu was not in Cairo “at this moment,” according to two Egyptian security officials, but a meeting was in progress to resolve the remaining issues, primary among them being a desire from Hamas for assurances that any quick agreement will result in a comprehensive one. According to the sources, Tuesday night might be crucial in determining the course of action.
