Israel and Hamas have begun negotiating the terms of the next phase of the cease-fire deal just two days before the truce expires, Egyptian mediators say.
“Intensive discussions” have resumed in Cairo on Thursday, with Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators pushing Israel and Hamas to continue the cease-fire and free the remaining hostages in Gaza.
The already-strained talks had been frozen after the two sides accused each other of breaking the terms of the cease-fire, with negotiations likely to grow heated over Israel’s refusal to fully withdraw from the Palestinian enclave.
The renewed talks were pushed forward by mediators in an effort to stop the war from resuming come midnight Saturday, with Cairo insisting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza be addressed as well.
“The mediators are also discussing ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region,” Egypt’s state information service said about the talks.
The second phase of the cease-fire calls on Hamas to free the remaining 28 living hostages in Gaza, including New Jersey native Edan Alexander.
Hamas has agreed to free the hostages in one fell swoop, provided Israel keep its end of the bargain and fully withdraws its forces from Gaza as they negotiate the future of the land and its people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has repeatedly refused to pull out Israel’s forces from the so-called Philadelphi Corridor by the Gaza-Egypt border, despite the condition getting approval from his mediators.
An Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the Jewish state has no plans to withdraw, and that its forces are needed at the border to prevent weapons smuggling.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also claimed that there were Hamas smuggling tunnels at the border. Despite releasing images of the alleged tunnels near the border, Israeli officials have yet to provide evidence that the tunnels extended beyond it.
Egypt has maintained that it destroyed Hamas’ smuggling tunnels years ago, with a military buffer zone still in place along the border to stop the flow of arms and contraband.
Hamas said any attempt to keep Israeli forces in the corridor would amount to a “blatant violation” of the cease-fire agreement.
The second phase of the deal has also been complicated by the lack of details on who would rule Gaza after the war, with Israel refusing to allow Hamas to stay in power.
The Jewish state, however, has failed to name another viable candidate — officials recently tried to tap Egypt for the role, but Cairo swiftly rejected.
Even if negotiators fail to establish the terms for the second phase of the cease-fire deal by the deadline, the current agreement calls on both sides to maintain the peace as long as the discussions continue.
Whether the terms will be followed remains to be seen, as both sides immediately returned to war following a breakdown in the short-lived cease-fire back in November 2023.
Along with the 28 living captives, Hamas still holds the bodies of about 31 other hostages, with the deceased set to be free during the third and final phase of the deal.
With Post wires
