Egyptian sources pointed to “significant progress in negotiations” for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The information was released by the Al Qahera News TV channel, linked to Egypt’s secret services, but has not yet been confirmed by both sides of the conflict.
“The mediators reached an agreed formula on most of the controversial points”, assured an anonymous source cited by the broadcaster.
The main obstacle in the negotiations is that Hamas demands guarantees of a lasting and even definitive ceasefire, especially after releasing all the hostages, but Israel has already made it clear on several occasions that it does not intend to stop until it defeats the fundamentalist group.
Hamas negotiators are in Egypt to negotiate the truce, while the death toll in the Gaza Strip reached 34,654 this Saturday (4). However, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, an ally of Israel, the Palestinian group is “the only obstacle” to an agreement at this time.
“We are waiting to see if, in fact, they will say ‘yes’ to the ceasefire and the release of the hostages”, stressed the head of American diplomacy.
Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, demanded that Hamas accept the truce and release the people kidnapped on October 7, when the group killed 1,200 people in terrorist attacks in Israel. “This would allow all international organizations to bring aid and food to the Palestinian population, which is going through a dramatic moment,” he said.
