A Hamas official revealed today, Monday, that no progress has been made thus far in the ceasefire talks in Cairo. The Hamas official stated that the recent round of negotiations involving delegations from Qatar, the United States, and Israel has not yielded any advancements. This statement contradicts previous reports claiming progress in the talks aimed at establishing a truce in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Subsequently, an Israeli official downplayed the chances of reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip at this time. The Egyptian news channel reported earlier on Monday, citing a senior Egyptian source, that the talks in Cairo had made progress and that all parties agreed on key points.
Israel expressed cautious optimism regarding the latest round of mediated negotiations. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz described the Cairo discussions as the closest the sides have come to an agreement since the November truce, during which Hamas released dozens of detainees. Katz stated to Israeli Army Radio, "We have reached a critical point in the negotiations. If we succeed, a large number of hostages will return home."
Cairo's news outlet added that the Hamas and Qatari delegations left Cairo and will return within two days to finalize the terms of the agreement, while the Israeli and American delegations are expected to leave the Egyptian capital within a few hours, noting that consultations will continue over the next couple of days.
