Israel Opts Out of Cease-Fire Talks as Hamas Delegation Arrives in Cairo

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Sunday for talks geared toward reaching a cease-fire in the warfare in Gaza and an change of hostages held by militants there for Palestinian prisoners, in keeping with an official in the group, Basem Naim. But a breakthrough in the negotiations didn’t seem like imminent, as Israel determined to not attend.
Israel made the choice after Qatar’s prime minister knowledgeable David Barnea, the pinnacle of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, on Sunday that Hamas had refused an Israeli request to supply a listing of the hostages who have been nonetheless alive, in keeping 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.
Another issue that figured into Israel’s determination was that Hamas declined to consent to the phrases for swapping hostages for Palestinian prisoners that the United States 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 licensed publicly.
The U.S. define entailed Israel releasing a whole lot of Palestinian prisoners in change for 40 hostages, with completely different numbers of prisoners being traded for various classes of hostages, in keeping with two officers with data of the negotiations.
Mr. Naim declined to reply to the claims concerning the Hamas refusals.
The United States has been pushing for a cease-fire forward of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that begins in a few week, however gradual progress in 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 in the negotiations have been the quantity of Palestinian prisoners to be launched, together with the quantity of these serving life sentences, and whether or not a cease-fire will likely be everlasting or momentary.
On Saturday, a senior U.S. official, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate delicate diplomatic efforts, instructed reporters that Israel had “more or less accepted” a framework for the deal and that the ball was now in Hamas’s court docket.
But Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas official, steered on Saturday that the talks weren’t advancing.
“We haven’t seen any change in the Israeli position at all,” Mr. Mardawi instructed Al Jazeera in a reside interview. “It hasn’t offered us anything.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has mentioned progress in the talks would require Hamas to melt its “ludicrous demands.”
President Biden mentioned on Thursday that the bloodshed in northern Gaza earlier in the day, when scores of Palestinians have been killed after Israeli forces opened fireplace round a convoy of assist vehicles, would complicate negotiations for a cease-fire.
“I know it will,” he instructed reporters in Washington, as he backed away from his earlier prediction that an settlement might be in place by Monday. “Probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful,” he mentioned.
The Israeli navy has mentioned most of those that died in the chaotic scene on Thursday have been killed in a crush across the automobiles. Palestinian witnesses and docs have mentioned Israeli forces fired extensively, wounding and killing many.