Egypt's official "Cairo News" television reported today, Monday, that "notable progress" has been recorded in the talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. It mentioned the resumption of discussions today, which marks the second day involving Egypt, the Hamas movement, Qatar, and the United States, according to Agence France-Presse.
Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators have been attempting for weeks to reach an agreement on a ceasefire in the war that has been ongoing since October 7 between Hamas and Israel. The ceasefire is expected to include the release of hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas have entered the final maneuvering stage, seeking an acceptable formula for both parties, amid accelerated efforts to overcome last obstacles to achieve a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal, which is expected to be announced before Ramadan.
Representatives from the United States, Qatar, and Hamas arrived in Cairo to resume discussions on the ceasefire, as reported by Cairo News Channel. While there has been no official confirmation from the Israeli side regarding its delegation's presence, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Tel Aviv had boycotted the talks after Hamas refused its request to provide a complete list of hostages still alive.
An informed Egyptian source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the recent rounds of negotiations since agreeing on the (Paris Framework) have not been easy and have encountered several obstacles, but all points of agreement are now on the table.
While Agence France-Presse quoted a senior Hamas source yesterday stating that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza is possible within 24 to 48 hours if Israel responds to its demands, CNN reported a senior movement source saying that what is being circulated in the media regarding the ceasefire negotiations is mere speculation, and they have not yet come close to finalizing the agreement.
Additionally, the Gulf Ministerial meeting, in its 159th session at the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh yesterday, called on the international community to take a serious and firm stance to stop the fire and provide protection for civilians, and to take necessary measures under international law in response to the practices of the Israeli government and its policy of collective punishment against Gaza's residents, while also praising the efforts made by various countries and organizations to end the Israeli aggression on the territory.
