The latest round of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, held in Cairo, has concluded without an agreement, raising doubts about the prospects of ending the 10-month-long conflict in Gaza. The talks, mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, aimed to finalize details of a framework initially outlined by US President Joe Biden in July.A central point of contention is the Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, a 14.5-kilometer strip along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. Hamas has accused Israel of backtracking on its commitment to withdraw troops from this area and introducing new conditions, including controls over displaced Palestinians returning to northern Gaza.Hamas official Osama Hamdan stated, ‘We will not accept discussions about retractions from what we agreed to on July 2 or new conditions’. The group insists that any agreement must include a permanent ceasefire, complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, freedom of return for residents, aid and reconstruction, and a prisoner exchange deal.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on mediators to ‘apply pressure’ on Hamas to accept the proposed framework. However, Israel has expressed reservations about releasing certain Palestinian prisoners and has demanded their departure from Gaza if released.Despite the setback, a senior US official described the talks as ‘constructive,’ stating that all parties were working towards a ‘final and implementable agreement’. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized that Washington continues to work with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, as well as with Israel, to achieve a ceasefire and an agreement on hostages.The process is expected to continue in the coming days through working groups to address remaining issues and details. However, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, with local authorities reporting over 40,400 casualties in the past 10 months, of which more than 40% are women and children.
Key points
- Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks in Cairo end without agreement, with both sides rejecting proposed compromises.
- Key issues include Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.
- Hamas insists on a permanent ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
- Mediators plan to continue efforts through working groups in the coming days.
Contradictions👾While most sources report a stalemate in negotiations, a senior US official described the talks as ‘constructive’ and stated that all parties were working towards a ‘final and implementable agreement’.
