Failed mediation calls on Hamas and Israel to ‘show flexibility’ to keep down the guns

It was during a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, that Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Chukri, emphasized “the importance of urging the parties to show flexibility and make every effort to reach a truce agreement and thus end the humanitarian tragedy”. This is what a note from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summarizes.

The mediating country warns that negotiations in Cairo are in a “delicate phase”. This was after the Hamas and Israeli delegations had left the Egyptian capital.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained adamant about what his country’s war machine considers to be an inevitable expanded offensive on Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Tsahal has already deployed tanks and taken control of the border crossing into Egypt.

Egyptian negotiators also express concern about “the dangers” of a land incursion into Rafahpotential threat to regional “stability” and “security”.

In turn, Antony Blinken reiterated US opposition to “a major military operation in Rafah”, or “any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza”according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

“The ball is entirely in Israel’s court”
At the end of the frustrated negotiation round in the Egyptian capital, Hamas negotiators wanted to make it clear that, at this stage, “the ball is entirely in the occupation’s court”, that is, the Israeli authorities.

“The negotiating delegation left Cairo for Doha. The occupation rejected the proposal presented by the mediators, which we had accepted. As a result, the ball is now entirely in the occupation’s court”stated the radical movement that governs the Gaza Strip, in a letter to the other Palestinian factions.The delegations said goodbye to Cairo after “two days of negotiations”, Al-Qahera News reported. The efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States “continue to bring points of view closer together”, added the same media outlet, associated with the Egyptian secret services.

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, has meanwhile hinted at the possibility of suspending arms supplies to Israel, if the offensive on Rafah goes ahead.

The Israeli Prime Minister guarantees that, even without the North American military support, he will continue to fight Hamas.

Remember that, last Monday, Hamas agreed to a proposal from mediators for a truce in three phases – with 42 days without fighting for each of the phases. The plan would involve a withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory and a new exchange of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians detained in Israel. The goal would be a “permanent ceasefire”.

Israel immediately stated that the plan was “far from its demands”, opposing any definitive ceasefire that does not involve the complete defeat of Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu even claimed to have ordered the delegation sent to Cairo to remain “firm in the conditions necessary for the release” of the hostages and other positions “essential” for Israeli security.

w/ Lusa, AFP and Reuters