New formulas for approaching contentious Gaza points reached: Source

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen + Agencies
23 Aug 2024 20:37
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A senior Palestinian Resistance official tells Al Mayadeen that the Israeli occupation refuses to completely withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor in the first phase of a potential deal.

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An Israeli tank is seen near the Gaza border, with destroyed buildings in the back, in the Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (AP)

The mediators have reached new formulas for approaching the contentious points between Hamas and "Israel", a senior Palestinian Resistance official told Al Mayadeen on Friday.

Negotiations regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal are ongoing in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and are expected to continue through the weekend.

According to the source, the points of contention are the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridor and the Rafah crossing, as well as the issue of Palestinian detainees in a possible prisoner exchange deal.

"Israel" insists on rejecting [the names of] about 65 detainees with sentences of life imprisonment, the source indicated.

The Israeli occupation refuses to completely withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor in the first phase of a potential deal and insists on the presence of military sites along the border, the source added.

Moreover, "Israel" insists on the deployment of the EUBAN international mission at the Rafah crossing as a condition for withdrawing from it and operating it again, the source told Al Mayadeen.

Elsewhere, the source confirmed that Hamas still insists on the July 2 paper regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal as a referential document for implementation rather than a subject for negotiation.

White House claims 'progress made' in Cairo talks

meanwhile, earlier on Friday, the White House claimed that progress has been made in the Cairo negotiations, urging both "Israel" and Hamas to advance the talks.

The discussions, which began on Thursday evening, involve CIA Director William Burns and senior official Brett McGurk, the White House said.

"There has been progress made. We need now for both sides to come together and work towards implementation," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby claimed.

"The preliminary talks that we had going into Cairo last night were constructive in nature. So we want to see that same sort of momentum continue here over the next couple of days," he told reporters.

He also slammed reports of the negotiations nearing "collapse" as inaccurate.

During his visit to West Asia this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was supportive of a US proposal to bridge gaps and secure a ceasefire.

Kirby reiterated the US belief that Netanyahu remains aligned with the proposal, despite his refusal to withdraw Israeli troops deployed along the Gaza-Egypt border.

On Thursday, the leaderships of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) held "Israel" responsible for the failure of ceasefire negotiations and their retreat from agreements reached in earlier stages, particularly the proposal accepted by the Hamas movement on July 2.

The two groups reaffirmed the stance of the Resistance and the Palestinian people regarding any potential agreement, emphasizing that it must include a complete halt to the aggression, full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, initiation of reconstruction efforts, and lifting of the blockade, alongside a serious prisoner exchange deal.