Israel informed Egypt on Tuesday that a security delegation would arrive in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss several points in the hostage deal negotiations with the Egyptians, according to local Egyptian media.
According to the report, Israel told Cairo it agreed to the conditions regarding the Philadelphi Corridor and Rafah. The Egyptian newspaper did not specify what the conditions were. Still, it emphasized that the most important aspect of completing negotiations was Hamas’s demand that what was built in the area be dismantled.
It was also reported that an Egyptian security delegation would travel to Doha on Thursday to participate in meetings for a deal and a temporary ceasefire for a period of six weeks.
Hamas’s demands
Before this, Hamas informed Egypt that it was waiting for and expecting a complete cessation of military activity inside the Gaza Strip to continue negotiations.
Hamas also demanded the release of about 1,000 prisoners in exchange for a third of the living hostages and also stipulated the entry of 600 trucks every day for 42 days.
An additional Hamas demand was the beginning of aid operations, infrastructure restoration, and the introduction of fuel and gas. Also, Hamas demanded that the Rafah crossing be reactivated without an Israeli presence.
Lt.-Col. (res.), Avi Kalo, former head of the MIA (Missing in Action) Department in the IDF’s intelligence unit, said in a conversation with radio 103FM, “We are in a space where all the signs indicate that we are at a decision point in the direction of a deal.
“One can argue that there seems to be maturity, and there is real feasibility in the deal. At least in the framework and outline, we are in a place that is quite clear,” he added.
“From my experience with Gaza, the center of gravity that broke many elements of Hamas, that turned Hamas from a military organization into a guerrilla organization, is here to stay. I fear that the six-week period within the agreement will mean that various factors may drive a wedge into this process. It will certainly not be a sealed and final act,” he added.
At a meeting with the hostages’ families on Tuesday at his Washington hotel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “The conditions for a deal are ripe. This is a good sign. Months of efforts mediated by Egypt and Qatar to reach a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas have gained momentum in recent weeks.”
He added, “Unfortunately, it won’t happen all at once. There will be stages.”
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters there was nothing new in Netanyahu’s stance. “Netanyahu is still stalling, and he is sending delegations only to calm the anger of Israeli captives’ families,” he said.
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