Talks have restarted in the Egyptian capital Cairo about a possible ceasefire in Gaza. Egyptian media report that all parties are present: delegations from Israel and Hamas, and from the mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
On Sunday evening, Hamas agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar. Originally, Hamas indicated that it only wanted an agreement in which the end of the war could be discussed. The accepted proposal is a watered-down version of a proposal from Israel, which only wanted a ceasefire.
For Israel, the proposal is “far from the necessary requirements”, but negotiations continue.
The United States, Israel’s most important ally in the West, is optimistic about a possible agreement. According to John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, Israel and Hamas “should be able to bridge the remaining gaps” to reach an agreement. Kirby hopes a final agreement will be reached “very soon.”
Tags: Israel reports reopening Kerem Shalom border crossing ongoing talks Israel Hamas ceasefire
