An Israeli official stated that CIA Director William Burns and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu They discussed this Wednesday “the possibility” of suspending military operations in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, in exchange for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas releasing the hostages.
Netanyahu and the US intelligence chief, who has been involved in mediation efforts in the war between Israel and Hamas, met in Jerusalem as part of Washington’s latest efforts to secure a truce in the Gaza Strip.
“The two discussed the possibility of Israel stopping the operation in Rafah in exchange for the release of the hostages,” the Israeli official told the AFP on condition of anonymity.
The meeting took place as truce negotiations resumed in Cairo, after Hamas announced on Monday that it had accepted a ceasefire proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar.
Israel has defied international objections and sent tanks to Rafah, the southernmost city of the Hamas-ruled territory on the Egyptian border, packed with Palestinian civilian refugees.
Overnight, Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side of the key Rafah border crossing, which is the main conduit for aid to the besieged territory.
The Israeli raid on eastern Rafah came after Hamas said it had agreed a truce proposal that Israel said was “very far” from what its negotiators had previously agreed to.
Talks aimed at agreeing on the terms of a truce in this seven-month war were held in the Egyptian capital on Wednesday “with the presence of all parties,” according to state-linked Egyptian media.
The United States, Israel’s close ally and main provider of military aid, confirmed that negotiations were underway.
“Talks are ongoing,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “A careful assessment of the position of both sides suggests that they should be able to close…the remaining gaps, so we will continue to support that process.”
Hamas has warned that the ongoing talks would be Israel’s “last chance” to rescue the 128 hostages who are still estimated to be held in Gaza, 36 of whom have died according to Israeli officials.
Mediation efforts have stalled due to Hamas’s insistence on a lasting ceasefire, while Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to destroy the terrorist group’s remaining forces in Rafah.
The war was sparked by Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, which left more than 1,170 people dead, mostly civilians, according to a tally. AFP based on official Israeli figures. The militants also took about 250 hostages. Dozens of them were freed during a week-long truce in November, including 80 Israelis freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The Israeli Army said this Wednesday that it has closed the crossing again. Kerem Shalom, in the south of the Gaza Strip, after an alleged new attack by Hamas, further limiting the entry of humanitarian aid to the devastated Palestinian enclave.
“Today Hamas attacked Kerem Shalom, the third time this week,” he told EFE a military spokesman, who insisted that Israel wants aid to enter the enclave.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, warned today that no aid was entering Gaza, despite the announcement by Israeli authorities that they had reopened Kerem Shalom this morning.
(With information from AFP)
