Israeli delegation is stalling, waiting for Netanyahu return: Sources
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The delegation's decision not to participate in the talks frustrated US officials, who believe the negotiations are close to reaching an agreement, sources told Politico.
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Destroyed buildings stand on the coast of the Gaza Strip, Tuesday, June 25, 2024 (AP Photo)
Senior sources in the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen that the visit of the Israeli delegation to Cairo on Wednesday did not lead to anything, and did not provide any answers to the mediators’ proposals.
The sources confirmed that the mediators have become convinced that the Israeli delegation is stalling and trying to buy time, waiting for the return of the occupation prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, from Washington.
in another incident, Politico reported on Friday that the Israeli delegation missed the round of Gaza ceasefire talks scheduled for earlier in the week citing sources familiar with the situation.
The delegation's decision not to participate in the talks frustrated US officials, who believe the negotiations are close to reaching an agreement, sources told the newspaper.
They added that "Israel" had initially informed the US that its delegation planned to attend the talks but later did not notify Washington officials of their change of plans.
The newspaper did not specify the location of the scheduled meeting.
Neither the Israeli embassy in Washington nor the US National Security Council responded to Politico's requests for comment.
Read more: Hamas tells mediators ceasefire talks could collapse any second
Over the past few weeks, several observers argued that a ceasefire agreement was within reach, with Axios reporting that CIA Director Bill Burns and top US advisors were on their way to Cairo to seal an agreement.
But with this recent development, frustration is clearly felt on the US side, which comes as no surprise since the Israeli side has been obstinate in reaching an agreement since the war began.
On July 6, Reuters reported that Hamas accepted a US proposal to begin talks on releasing Israeli captives, including soldiers and men, 16 days after the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war.
But two days later, a statement released from Netanyahu's office indicated that the prime minister would not be ready to endorse a permanent ceasefire until the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza is completely eliminated.
An unnamed senior Hamas source told AFP last Sunday that the movement had "decided to halt negotiations with the Israeli occupation to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip due to its lack of seriousness and its perpetration of massacres against unarmed civilians."
Read more: Hamas retains its skilled leaders, command structure: ISW
