CAIRO/WASHINGTON: There was no deal on Sunday in the Gaza truce talks that took place in Cairo, with neither Israel nor Hamas agreeing to several compromises presented by mediators, two Egyptian security sources stated, casting doubt on the chances of success in the latest US-backed effort to end the 10-month-old conflict.
However, a senior US official, described the dialogs as “constructive,” adding they were conducted in a spirit on all parties to reach a final and implementable deal, Reuters reported.
The process will continue over the next days through working groups to further address remaining problems and details,” the official told Reuters on the condition of anonymity, saying that the teams would remain in Cairo, Egypt.
Months of on-off dialogs have failed to produce a deal to end Israel’s devastating military offensive in Gaza or free the remaining captives held by Hamas.
Speaking at a press conference in Halifax, Canada, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said the US is still “feverishly” working in Cairo to get a truce and a hostage agreement.
Main sticking points in the current talks mediated by the Egypt, Qatar and United States include an Israeli presence in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt.
Earlier, in July, Hamas has accepted a US proposal to start talks on releasing Israeli captives, including troops and men, 16 days following the first phase of a deal aimed at ending the Gaza conflict, a senior Hamas source told Reuters.
Reuters reported that a Hamas delegation left Cairo on Sunday following holding talks with mediators, senior official Izzat El-Reshiq stated, saying that the group had reiterated its demand that any deal must stipulate a permanent truce and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
