1 of 2 | Israeli officials on Saturday downplayed hopes that a cease-fire deal with Hamas over the ongoing war in Gaza was imminent as a delegation from Palestinian group arrived in Egypt for negotiations. Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI | License Photo
Hopes for a Gaza cease-fire surged Saturday as a Hamas delegation arrived in Egypt for negotiations on a deal to release long-held hostages, but Israeli officials downplayed the possibility.
Egyptian and U.S. mediators have brokered the peace talks in Cairo with CIA director Bill Burns arriving Friday in the capital city. Advertisement
U.S. President Joe Biden has also been directly involved in cease-fire talks.
An existing proposal put forth by Egyptian officials would see Hamas release the remaining hostages being held in Gaza.
Egyptian media reported Saturday that Hamas representatives were taking a “positive” tone ahead of negotiations.
“We are determined to secure an agreement in a way that fulfills Palestinians’ demands,” the militant said in a statement.
However, an Israeli delegation is not expected to head to Cairo until Hamas responds to the proposal, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing a story originally published by Israel’s English language public broadcaster KAN English News.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed the delegation’s trip to Egypt, according to the newspaper.
The first phase of the cease-fire deal would reportedly see Hamas agree to the humanitarian release of hostages minus an official commitment from Israel to end the war. Advertisement
Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted the Israel Defense Forces will conduct a ground operation in the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah to “eliminate the [Hamas} battalions there.” The militant group has dug in around the city of 1.2 million, with many of Rafah’s residents already displaced in the Palestinian enclave.
Such an incursion in Rafah “could lead to a slaughter,” the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Friday.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu made it clear an invasion of Rafah will go forward independent of negotiations to free hostages held in captivity by Hamas.
Netanyahu has also previously said there can be no negotiations until all the remaining hostages are freed.
The IDF estimates that around 130 hostages are still being held captive by Hamas, though a number of them are believed to be dead. They were originally kidnapped by Hamas during its bloody Oct. 7 surprise attack.
