CAIRO: Key mediator Egypt has expressed skepticism regarding the proposal meant to bridge gaps in ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel as more details emerged a day before talks were expected to resume in Cairo.
According to The Associated Press (AP), the challenges around the so-called bridging proposal appeared to undermine the optimism for an imminent deal that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken carried into his latest Mideast trip this week.
Diplomatic efforts have also redoubled as fears increase of a wider regional conflict following the recent targeted killings of leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas groups, both blamed on Israel, and threats of retaliation.
Earlier on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden spoke with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the White House stated, without immediately providing details on what was said.
Officials in Egypt told AP that Hamas would not agree to the bridging proposal for a number of reasons. One official said the bridging proposal needs the implementation of the agreement’s first phase, which has Hamas freeing the most captives. Parties during the first phase would discuss the second and third phases with no guarantees to Hamas from mediators or Israel.
The official added that the Americans are offering pledges, not guarantees. It added that Hamas would not accept this, because it virtually means Hamas will free the hostages in return for a six-week pause of fighting with no guarantees for a negotiated permanent truce.
He further said the proposal does not clearly say Israel will withdraw its troops from two strategic corridors in the Gaza Strip, the Philadelphi corridor alongside Gaza’s border with Egypt and the Netzarim east-west corridor across the region. Israel only offers to downsize its troops in the Philadelphi corridor, with pledges to withdraw from the area, he added. The Egyptian official said that this is not acceptable for them and of course for Hamas.
The conflict in the Gaza Strip, now in its 10th month, has caused widespread destruction and forced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to flee their homes. Israel’s brutal offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
