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Israeli the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on his way to Cairo on Tuesday for ceasefire talks in Gazasources familiar with the meetings said.
Sources said the Gaza ceasefire agreement is expected to be signed in the coming days. Hamas has since said that a cease-fire and hostage agreement would only be possible if Israel stopped setting new conditions for peace.
US believes Gaza cease-fire deal is getting closer, White House national communications security adviser John Kirby he told Fox News on Tuesday.
“We believe — and the Israelis have said this — that we’re getting closer, and without a doubt, we believe that, but we’re also cautious in our optimism,” Kirby said. “We’ve been in this position before where we haven’t been able to cross the finish line.”
He did not respond to a question about whether Netanyahu is traveling to Cairo for talks.
It comes after the US, Qatar and Egypt, which have continued their mediation efforts in recent weeks, reported a greater willingness on both sides to strike a deal. Hamas officials said they were willing to show more “flexibility” on the timing of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, which is seen as a key concession, the AP news agency reported.
A senior Palestinian official involved in the talks earlier told the BBC that the talks had reached a “decisive and final stage”. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also said that an agreement is closer than ever.
A Palestinian official said the three-phase plan would see civilians and female soldiers still held hostage in Gaza released within the first 45 days. Of the 96 hostages still in Gaza, Israel believes 62 are still alive.
Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza’s urban centers, the coastal road and the strip of land bordering Egypt, the official added.
According to previous claims by Egyptian and Hamas officials, the deal would also include the release of Palestinian prisoners and increased aid to the Gaza Strip.
The outgoing Biden administration in the US and the incoming Donald Trump administration have indicated they want the deal completed before the January 20 inauguration.
More about this breaking news to come…