It was during a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Choukry, stressed the importance of urging parties to “show flexibility and make every effort to end the humanitarian tragedy”.. A note from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says so.
The mediating country warns that talks in Cairo are at a “delicate stage”.. This happened after Hamas and Israeli representatives left the Egyptian capital.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained adamant about what his country’s war machine sees as an inevitable expanded assault on Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. Sahel has already deployed tanks and taken control of the Egyptian border crossing.
Egyptian negotiators are also concerned about the “dangers” of land incursions into RafahA potential threat to regional “stability” and “security”.
In turn, Anthony Blinken reiterated US opposition to “a major military operation in Rafah” or “forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza”.According to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
“The Ball Is All in Israel’s Court”
At the end of a frustrating round of negotiations in the Egyptian capital, Hamas negotiators wanted to make clear that at this point, “the ball is entirely in the occupation’s court,” meaning the Israeli authorities..
“The negotiating delegation left Cairo for Doha. The occupation rejected the proposal put forward by the mediators that we accepted. As a result, the ball is now squarely in the occupation’s court.”The radical movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, said in a letter to other Palestinian factions.Al-Qahera News reported that the delegation left Cairo after “two days of talks”. Efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States “continue to bring views closer,” added the same media, linked to the Egyptian secret services.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has hinted at the possibility of cutting off arms supplies to Israel if the attack on Rafah continues.
Israeli PM vows to continue fighting Hamas, even without North American military support.
remember that, Last Monday, Hamas agreed to the mediators’ proposal for a ceasefire in three phases – each phase requiring 42 days of non-combat.. The plan included the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory and a new exchange of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians detained in Israel. Goal “Permanent Ceasefire”.
Israel immediately declared that the plan, which opposes any definitive ceasefire that does not include the complete defeat of Hamas, “falls far short of its demands.”. Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the delegation to Cairo to “firm the conditions necessary for the release” of the hostages and other positions “essential” to Israeli security.
w/ Lusa, AFP and Reuters
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