Neither Hamas nor Israel Agree to Compromises

(Patria) - There is no agreement in the ceasefire talks in Gaza held in Cairo, with neither Hamas nor Israel agreeing to several compromises presented by the mediators, two Egyptian security sources told Reuters.

For now, the prospects for the success of the negotiations, supported by the US, to end the months-long war are minimal.

Months of negotiations have not resulted in an agreement to end Israel's military campaign in Gaza or to release the remaining hostages captured by Hamas in the attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized that Washington is still working in Cairo with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, as well as with the Israelis, to achieve a ceasefire and hostage deal.

Key points of contention in the negotiations mediated by the US, Egypt, and Qatar include Israel's presence in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow 14.5-kilometer strip of land along Gaza's southern border with Egypt, Index reports.

Mediators have presented a series of alternatives to the presence of Israeli forces in the "Philadelphi" corridor and the "Netzarim" corridor that cuts through the middle of the Gaza Strip, but the parties have not accepted any of them, Egyptian sources said.

Israel has also expressed doubts about the demand for the release of several Palestinian hostages, which Hamas is seeking.

Hamas stated that Israel has abandoned its commitment to withdraw troops from the corridor, presenting new conditions, including the screening of displaced Palestinians as they return to the densely populated north of the enclave.

"We will not accept discussions about withdrawal from what we agreed on July 2 or new conditions," Hamas official Osama Hamdan told AlAqsa group's TV.

In July, Hamas accepted a US proposal to start negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages, including soldiers and men, 16 days after the first phase of the agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza, a senior Hamas source told Reuters.

Hamdan said that Hamas had submitted its response to the latest proposal to the mediators and that American claims about an imminent deal were false.