Gaza Truce Talks End without Breakthrough

The American Axios website cited an unnamed “Israeli” official as saying that the talks involving the United States, Egypt, “Israel” and Qatar on a ceasefire deal, which also included an agreement on the release of captives, ended “without a breakthrough” on Tuesday.

The “Israeli” delegation was on its way back from Cairo, the official said, adding that CIA Director William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahma Al Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi as well as other Egyptian officials had participated in the Cairo-based negotiations aimed at "protecting Palestinian civilians and delivering more aid into Gaza.”

Citing Egyptian officials, the Wall Street Journal also said the “Israeli” delegation had departed the Egyptian capital “without closing any of the major gaps in the negotiations.”

A senior Egyptian official said that despite the “Israeli” delegation’s departure, the negotiations were “positive” and would continue for three more days.

A Hamas official was reported as saying that the resistance movement was waiting for the outcome of the Cairo meeting, but was “open to discussing any initiative that achieves an end to aggression and war.”

The parties in the talks were seeking a formula acceptable to Hamas, which “says it is only possible to sign a deal once it is based on an ‘Israeli’ commitment to ending its war and pulling out its forces from Gaza.”