A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Sunday for talks aimed toward attaining a cease-fire within the warfare in Gaza and an trade of hostages held by militants there for Palestinian prisoners, in accordance with an official within the group, Basem Naim. However a breakthrough within the negotiations didn’t look like imminent, as Israel determined to not attend.
Israel made the choice after Qatar’s prime minister knowledgeable David Barnea, the top of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, on Sunday that Hamas had refused an Israeli request to offer an inventory of the hostages who have been nonetheless alive, in accordance with an Israeli official.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel mentioned on Thursday that he had requested the names of hostages who could be freed in an settlement.
One other issue that figured into Israel’s determination was that Hamas declined to consent to the phrases for swapping hostages for Palestinian prisoners that the US introduced in Paris about 10 days in the past, mentioned two Israeli officers who spoke on the situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved publicly.
The U.S. define entailed Israel releasing lots of of Palestinian prisoners in trade for 40 hostages, with completely different numbers of prisoners being traded for various classes of hostages, in accordance with two officers with data of the negotiations.
Mr. Naim declined to reply to the claims concerning the Hamas refusals.
America has been pushing for a cease-fire forward of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that begins in a few week, however sluggish progress within the talks has made that difficult.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, was main the delegation in Cairo, Mr. Naim mentioned in a textual content message.
Sticking factors within the negotiations have been the variety of Palestinian prisoners to be launched, together with the variety of these serving life sentences, and whether or not a cease-fire will probably be everlasting or non permanent.
On Saturday, a senior U.S. official, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate delicate diplomatic efforts, advised reporters that Israel had “roughly accepted” a framework for the deal and that the ball was now in Hamas’s court docket.
However Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas official, prompt on Saturday that the talks weren’t advancing.
“We haven’t seen any change within the Israeli place in any respect,” Mr. Mardawi advised Al Jazeera in a dwell interview. “It hasn’t supplied us something.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has mentioned progress within the talks would require Hamas to melt its “ludicrous calls for.”
President Biden mentioned on Thursday that the bloodshed in northern Gaza earlier within the day, when scores of Palestinians have been killed after Israeli forces opened hearth round a convoy of assist vehicles, would complicate negotiations for a cease-fire.
“I do know it’s going to,” he advised reporters in Washington, as he backed away from his earlier prediction that an settlement could possibly be in place by Monday. “Most likely not by Monday, however I’m hopeful,” he mentioned.
The Israeli army has mentioned most of those that died within the chaotic scene on Thursday have been killed in a crush across the autos. Palestinian witnesses and medical doctors have mentioned Israeli forces fired extensively, wounding and killing many.
