Hamas media reported that there was a difference between the American and Israeli positions regarding the movement’s position that was discussed in Cairo regarding the deal to stop the war in Gaza and exchange prisoners.
Hamas media said that its delegation concluded its talks with mediators in Cairo to discuss the movement’s position on the Paris proposal, and had left the Egyptian capital.
The same sources indicated that the meeting in Cairo included Egyptian and Qatari officials, in addition to the Hamas delegation.
The sources also indicated that there were disagreements within the Israeli government that prevented a clear position on the Cairo talks.
Israel delivers its response to Hamas’ plan
Israel submitted its response to Hamas’ plan regarding a deal to stop the war and exchange prisoners, to Qatar, Egypt and the United States, according to the Israeli “Wala” website.
Israel announced its rejection of Hamas’ plan, which includes three stages over a period of 135 days, ending with a deal to exchange all Israeli hostages for thousands of Palestinian prisoners, and ending the war on the Gaza Strip.
According to the Walla website, Israel informed the mediators of its rejection of most of Hamas’ demands, and asked them to do so as well, while preparing for negotiations on the basis of the “Paris Plan.”
In its response, Israel detailed the points to which it objects, which are:
– Withdrawing the forces that divide the Gaza Strip into two parts.
– Commitment to a permanent ceasefire at the end of the stages of cessation of fighting.
– Numbers of prisoners whom Hamas requests to be released in the exchange process.
In the details, a senior Israeli official indicated that “Israel made clear to the mediators that, contrary to Hamas’s demand, it will not agree to the withdrawal of Israeli army forces from the corridor south of Gaza City, which divides the Strip into two parts, early in the first phase.”
However, there is “an Israeli willingness to study the withdrawal of army forces from city centers in the Gaza Strip.”
Israel told the mediators that it opposes Hamas’s request to add the phrase “permanently” to the clause that stipulates indirect negotiations regarding a return to peace in the first phase of the deal.
The reason for this is “Israel’s refusal to commit to ending the war after completing the implementation of the hostage release deal,” according to the official.
Israel made clear to the mediators that it was not prepared to discuss, within the framework of the negotiations on the hostage deal, what Hamas called in its plan “lifting the siege” on Gaza.
She assured the mediators that “the key to releasing Palestinian prisoners that Hamas presented in its answer is unreasonable.”
It also considered that the long list of demands attached to Hamas’ response, such as commitments related to Al-Aqsa Mosque or the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, “are unacceptable and have nothing to do with the issue.”
#Bilad #newspaper #Cairo #negotiations #difference #positions #parties #departure #Hamas #delegation