Report: Israel to send delegation to Cairo to negotiate ceasefire
Draft includes points that will not be made public if a deal were to be struck, according to a Qatari paper
An Israeli delegation headed by Shin Bet security agency chief Ronen Bar will reportedly visit Cairo on Thursday to discuss a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Gaza Strip. The Qatari Al-Araby Al-Jadeed cited "informed sources" that said Cairo prepared a new draft proposal that could serve as a basis for talks, following "strong indications" by Hamas of its seriousness to reach a deal.
The report added that the draft includes points that will not be made public if a deal were to be struck and that the draft aims to quell Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political concerns regarding the collapse of his government in light of a possible agreement.
Additionally, Cairo informed Biden administration officials and others close to US President-Elect Donald Trump that excessive pressure on Hamas "could lead to a complete explosion of the situation."
Egypt believes that recent meetings in Cairo with senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya have "opened the door" for a long-term agreement, which includes ending the war and withdrawing from Gaza "in a way that makes it easy for Netanyahu to market it to his allies," the report adds.
This comes amid recent indications that Hamas could potentially agree to a gradual withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza, contrary to its continued demand of a complete withdrawal before any hostage is released.