Diplomatic efforts to free the hostages continue. United States President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone again on Sunday about the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The two allied states “reviewed ongoing discussions on the release of hostages as well as an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” the White House said in a statement.
This exchange took place as a Hamas delegation will arrive in Egypt on Monday to deliver its response to the recent Israeli counter-proposal for a truce and the release of hostages, a senior member of the movement announced on Sunday. Palestinian to AFP.
” Advances “
Hamas indicated that it had received on Saturday a “counter-proposal” made by Israel as part of mediation by Qatar and Egypt. The delegation must also discuss a “new Egyptian proposal”, added the senior official of the Palestinian movement. This latest proposal does not involve “any major problem”, a Hamas official told AFP on Sunday evening. “The atmosphere is positive, barring new obstacles posed by Israel,” the leader said. A Source close to negotiations within Hamas had previously indicated that the movement was “ready to discuss in a positive manner” this Egyptian proposal, which includes “advances”.
An Egyptian delegation met with Israeli officials in Israel on Friday. The Al-Qahera News media, linked to the Egyptian intelligence services, affirmed that the meeting had allowed “notable progress in bringing together the views of the Egyptian and Israeli delegations”.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States are trying – in vain so far – to convince Israel and Hamas to stop the fighting, which has been uninterrupted in the Gaza Strip since the end on December 1 of a week-long truce which had allowed the release of 80 Israeli hostages against 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.
