Israeli troops in Gaza-Egypt border keep Hamas off truce talks
Palestinian negotiators are not participating in the Cairo talks.
Daily TribunePalestinian negotiators are not participating in the Cairo talks.
Smoke rises over a building following a strike in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza
Eyad BABA / AFP
Gaza war mediators are preparing an enlarged round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Cairo on Sunday, Egyptian sources said Friday.
But a Hamas official on Saturday told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on condition of anonymity that the Palestinian militant group’s delegation sent to Egypt’s capital are not taking part in the negotiations in the city.
Hamas’ decision to send a delegation to Cairo comes after the United States said progress had been made at the latest round of talks.
Israel’s insistence on keeping troops on the Gaza-Egypt border called Philadelphi Corridor has emerged as a key sticking point.
The Hamas official said the Islamist group insisted that Israel withdraws its forces from across Gaza, including from Philadelphi, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted on keeping the troops along the said.
An official from the Islamist movement, Hossam Badran, told AFP Friday that Netanyahu’s insistence that his troops remain on the Philadelphi Corridor reflected “his refusal to reach a final agreement” to end the war.
“Washington is discussing with mediators’ new proposals to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas and for mechanisms to implement” the ceasefire plan.
On Friday, the White House said Central Intelligence Agency chief William Burns was among US officials taking part in the discussions in Cairo, joining the heads of Israel’s spy agency and security service.
Egypt, Qatar and the US have for months tried to reach a deal to end more than 10 months of war between Israel and Hamas.
Fighting raged on Friday, with witnesses reporting combat in northern, central and southern Gaza.
