In Cairo, representatives from Israel and Hamas engage in negotiations over Gaza matters.
Following the reciprocal shelling between Israel and the Hezbollah militia, discussions regarding a truce in the Gaza conflict are scheduled to resume. A 13-person Israeli delegation has touched down in Cairo, as per reports from the German Press Agency, sourced from airport circles in the Egyptian capital. This team comprises government officials handling security matters. Similarly, Hamas, led by top official Khalil al-Haya, have dispatched their representatives to Cairo as well. It's important to note that Hamas will not partake in the negotiations but will be kept in the loop regarding their progress.
The peace talks have been at a standstill for quite some time now. The objective, much like the recent negotiations in Qatar, is to align the standpoints of Hamas and Israel, ultimately arriving at a truce agreement. Regardless of the diplomatic maneuvers by the intermediary nations, there's lingering skepticism about a resolution in Cairo this Sunday.
Given that Hamas and Israel do not engage in direct negotiations, the responsibilities of mediating have fallen upon the USA, Qatar, and Egypt. Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar is present, while the USA is represented by CIA chief William Burns and the Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk. The Israeli intelligence chiefs, David Barnea and Ronen Bar, had already reached Cairo on Thursday.
The primary objective is to curb any further escalation of war in the Middle East through these peace talks. Israel and its Hezbollah allies, who support Hamas, have traded some of the most severe attacks in months. Hezbollah views these attacks as retaliation for the death of their military commander Fuad Shukr, two weeks prior to this. However, Israel defines the intense military action in southern Lebanon as a "self-defense measure."
The Gaza War, which has been marked by frequent episodes of violence, is the conflict that the scheduled truce discussions aim to resolve. Despite the involvement of intermediary nations like the USA, Qatar, and Egypt in peace talks, there's ongoing apprehension about achieving a resolution, considering the recent intense military action in Gaza and southern Lebanon.
