“Significant progress” in Israel-Hamas talks, Egypt media reports

Parties involved in the Israel-Hamas war have made “significant progress” in Cairo truce talks and agreed on basic points, Egypt’s state-affiliated TV channel Al-Qahera News reported on April 8th. 

Israel and Hamas sent representative teams to Egypt on April 7th following CIA Director William Burns’s arrival on April 6th. His involvement follows US pressure for a deal that would free hostages in Gaza and ease the territory’s humanitarian crisis.

Six months into its offensive against Hamas, Israel voiced cautious optimism about the latest round of mediated negotiations. There was no immediate comment from Hamas on April 8th. 

In Jerusalem, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz said that “we have reached a critical point in the negotiations,” adding that the Cairo talks have been the closest either side has come to a deal since Hamas freed dozens hostages on November 26th.

READ: US drafts UN resolution for “immediate” Gaza ceasefire

On January 21st following a failed negotiation, Hamas stated that they would not return their Israeli hostages. Hamas seized 253 hostages on October 7th — 129 remain. 

“If it works out, then a large number of hostages will come home,” Katz told Israel’s Army Radio following the most-recent discussions in Cairo.

Al-Qahera reported that the Hamas and Qatar delegations have already left Cairo and will return within two days to come to a final agreement. The Israel and US delegations will leave at some point on April 8th. Consultations will continue in the next 48 hours.

Hamas seeks to parlay any deal to the war’s end and order the withdrawal of Israeli forces and return of displaced Gazans. Israel has ruled out the first two demands, saying it would eventually topple Hamas.

READ: Sara Netanyahu says families of hostages are helping Hamas

On March 29th, Hamas outlined these key demands, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously referred to as “delusional.” On April 7th, he added that Israel would not give in to “extreme” Hamas demands.

In time with Netanyahu’s statements, thousands of Israeli protesters in Jerusalem gathered to protest the government’s idleness in recovering hostages.

Similarly, Western countries have voiced outrage over the high Palestinian civilian death toll and  Gaza’s humanitarian crisis — both resulting from Israel’s campaign against Hamas.

Despite April 8th’s progress, “Israel is poised to continue the war,” Katz said.

Al-Qahera News

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