Hamas will soon announce that it has accepted the Egyptian mediation proposal, Arab media reported on Saturday.
The leaders of Hamas approved the implementation of the first phase of the hostage agreement, according to a senior official of the organization.
The Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported that the announcement would come within days, while the newspaper Al-Sharqaligned with the government of Tastereported that it would occur in a few hours.
“In light of recent contacts with the brother mediators in Egypt and Tastethe delegation of Hamas will head to Cairo [el] Saturday to complete the discussions,” he cited Al-Sharq to Hamas.
The delegation of Hamas arrived in Cairo on Saturday morning, said Hamas on Saturday to the Saudi newspaper Asharq. Hamas He also said that his main objective would be to achieve a national consensus and rebuild the Strip.
It was also reported that in the last hours Egypt, Taste, Israel and Hamas They have held talks about the number of prisoners to be released under the agreement.
Hamasaccording to the report of Al-Qudsalso received American guarantees for a permanent cessation of the war and the withdrawal of the IDF of the Gaza Strip In the third phase of the agreement, he published The Jerusalem Post.
Reportedly, Hamas He also said there is no need for a permanent ceasefire as a precondition for talks, as senior U.S. officials are still being held hostage. IDF and they will be able to use them as leverage in the discussion of a more permanent ceasefire.
The IDF They denied that they would give up an invasion of Rafah over a hostage deal, and told Israeli media: “As decided by the politicians, the IDF will enter Rafah and they will destroy the battalions of Hamas who remain there, whether or not there is a temporary ceasefire for the release of our hostages.”
Political officials agreed and said the hostage issue was not related to an invasion of Rafah and that this would continue regardless of the success of the agreement.
Hamas hints at approval of deal
A senior official of Hamas confirmed this to N12 on Saturday morning, saying that the leaders of Hamas had approved the implementation of the first phase of the hostage agreement.
According to the report, the change appears to be due to guarantees of USA, Taste and Egypt about what Israel would completely withdraw from the Gaza Strip at the end of the agreement.
Citing Arab media reports, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that a senior Saudi official confirmed that Hamas he was satisfied with the American assurances.
The report N12 noted that the same source said that the CIA director, William Burnswould return to Cairo on Saturday and meet with the senior negotiating team of Hamas.
The source went on to say that part of the assurances was that Israel would not enter Rafah at any point in the agreement.
He also confirmed that compromises had been reached on the number of Palestinian hostages and prisoners.
Amid conflicting reports on whether an Israeli operation could take place in Rafah if Hamas accept a hostage settlement proposal, citing an interview Al Jazeera with a senior official Hamas, Osama Hamdan, Y-Net reported that the Islamist organization was confused by Israeli rhetoric.
“Unfortunately, there was a clear statement of Netanyahu that no matter what happens, whether there will be a ceasefire or not, he will order the operation in Rafah“, said Hamdan. “This means that there will be no ceasefire and that fighting will continue, which is contrary to what we are discussing. We want to understand what you mean. We understand that any ceasefire agreement means that there will be no more attacks on Loop“.
“Today’s results will be different. We have reached agreement on many points, and a few remain,” he told Reuters a source of Egyptian security.
A Palestinian official with knowledge of the mediation efforts expressed cautious optimism.
“Things are looking better this time, but whether a deal is available will depend on whether Israel has offered what is necessary for that to happen,” he told Reuters the official, who asked not to be identified.
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