Israeli and Palestinian resistance organization Hamas have made “positive progress” in their efforts to negotiate a cease-fire agreement in Gaza, Egyptian state media announced on Sunday. However, they cautioned against taking rumored details of a potential agreement at face value.
According to Egyptian Al Qahera News, “a high-level source confirmed that there is positive progress in negotiations regarding reaching a cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip.”
“What has been published about the terms of the agreement in the media is inaccurate,” the anonymous insider continued.
The source reiterated that “one of the terms of the agreement is the return of the displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip” and that “the Egyptian security delegation is continuing its consultations with all parties.”
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has insisted on invading the southern city of Rafah despite international warnings of the threat this would bring to the approximately 1.5 million displaced inhabitants there. According to media reports earlier, negotiations between the two sides had reached a “dead end.”
According to reports, Netanyahu is under increasing pressure not to approve a compromise that would put an end to the Gaza conflict and scrap plans for a military incursion into Rafah.
Netanyahu is accused by the Israeli opposition of attempting to thwart a hostage exchange agreement with Hamas.
Tel Aviv estimates that 134 Israelis are detained in Gaza, while Israel’s jails house about 9,000 Palestinians.
Since Hamas launched a cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of about 250 more, Israel has slain about 34,600 Palestinians.
In November of last year, 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children, were exchanged for the freedom of 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners.
There have been attempts to mediate a deal for the release of the remaining Israeli prisoners by the US, Qatar, and Egypt.
Acute shortages of food, clean water, and medication have forced 85% of Gaza’s inhabitants to flee internally, and 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or completely destroyed.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has charged Israel with genocide, issued an interim verdict in January ordering Tel Aviv to cease genocidal crimes and take steps to ensure that residents in Gaza get humanitarian assistance.