The delegations of Hamas and Israel left Cairo on Thursday afternoon after two days of negotiations, according to the state-affiliated "Cairo" channel close to Egyptian intelligence. The channel reported a senior Egyptian source stating that "Egyptian efforts and those of the mediators are ongoing to bridge the gaps between the two sides" to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas believes that Israel's attack in Rafah, southern Gaza, aims to "hinder" talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement and a prisoner exchange. A member of the political bureau of the movement, Ezzat al-Rashq, stated in a statement: "We confirm in Hamas our commitment and adherence to our position of agreeing to the document presented by the mediators."
On Monday, Hamas accepted a truce proposal offered by the mediators just hours before Israeli forces entered the Rafah crossing. However, Israel stated that this proposal is "far from its demands" and reiterated its opposition to a final ceasefire as long as Hamas is not "defeated."
