Talks between Israel and the Egyptian delegation on the ceasefire would be “very good” – World

JERUSALEM/CAIRO – Negotiations over Israel’s upcoming offensive in the city of Rafah on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip and efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas were “very good” among Israeli officials and a high-level Egyptian delegation, media and sources said on Friday. .

The negotiations were “very good, focused, carried out in good humor and progressed in all parameters,” a senior Israeli official told the Israeli media Ynet.

“Deep down, there are very serious intentions on Israel’s part to make progress on Rafah,” and the Egyptians are willing to put pressure on Hamas to reach a deal, the official said.

According to the Israeli official, Israel warned that it would not accept Hamas delaying the hostage deal to delay the military operation in Rafah, and also mentioned that Israel had deployed reserve soldiers to the Gaza Strip.

The officer told Israel’s Channel 12 that “this is the last chance before entering Rafah,” reiterating that Israel would take 33 live hostages in the first phase of the deal.

According to Channel 12, the official added that Israel is willing to make more “significant commitments,” such as allowing the evacuation of Gazan civilians in northern Gaza and withdrawing its troops from a crucial corridor dividing Gaza.

Meanwhile, Egypt reportedly sent a high-level delegation, led by senior intelligence official Abbas Kamel, to Israel on Friday in hopes of negotiating a ceasefire deal with Hamas in Gaza.

Considerable progress has been made in bringing closer the views of the Egyptian and Israeli delegations on achieving a truce in Gaza, Egypt’s Al-Qahera News TV reported.

Additionally, two senior Egyptian security officials confirmed to Xinhua that the talks discussed Egypt’s “rescue initiative,” which aims to prevent further escalations in the Strip and prevent the invasion of Rafah.

The initiative, according to the source, focuses on stopping all Israeli preparations to invade Rafah, the exchange of prisoners from Hamas and the Israeli side, and a sustainable ceasefire.

Egypt remains in contact with all parties to reach a final formula for a truce deal in the Gaza Strip, and details of truce talks between Egypt and Israel are limited to security delegations only, Al-Qahera said News.

On Thursday, Israeli media reported that the country is expected to “soon” begin evacuating civilians from Rafah ahead of a planned ground attack.

Earlier Thursday, Israel’s wartime cabinet and security cabinet met to discuss a possible assault on Rafah, a city previously considered a “safe zone” from relentless Israeli bombing, where around 1.4 million Displaced Palestinians have found refuge.