Israel: An Egyptian delegation is expected today to reach an agreement to release hostages

An Egyptian delegation will arrive in Israel today, Friday, with the aim of reaching an agreement on the release of the hostages. As an Israeli official said, the Military Cabinet authorized the negotiating team to hold the talks.

Senior Israeli sources revealed that during the war cabinet meeting, Israeli officials presented proposals for more flexibility, paving the way for a deal with Hamas.

In this context, an official Egyptian source stated that all communications carried out by Egypt with all parties regarding Gaza are aimed at stopping the escalation in the Gaza Strip and establishing a state of ceasefire.

This intense Egyptian diplomatic activity comes in light of the downgrading of Qatar’s role in mediation. Cairo has taken it upon itself to try to prevent an Israeli military operation in the town of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli media they reported that Israel prepares to send ground forces to Rafah, which it considers the last bastion of the Hamas movement, and they reported that preparations are being made to evacuate the displaced Palestinians who are there.

The widespread Israel Hayom newspaper cited the Israeli government’s decision, following the collapse of cease-fire talks with Hamas, that the Rafah invasion operation, which has been delayed for several weeks due to disagreements with Washington, will take place “very soon”.

Several other Israeli media outlets made similar posts, and some posted footage on social media platforms that appeared to show the establishment of a tent city to welcome Rafah evacuees.

Rafah, next to the Egyptian border, is filled with more than a million and a half Palestinians who fled other areas of the Gaza Strip during the war that has been going on for more than 6 months.

The fate of Rafah’s residents worries Western powers as well as Cairo, which has ruled out allowing any influx of refugees into Egypt’s Sinai.

Israel, under pressure from growing humanitarian demands, has pledged to take measures to protect civilians in Rafah.

Israel maintains that Rafah has 4 full combat battalions linked to Hamas and says that these battalions received reinforcements from thousands of the movement’s fighters who withdrew from other areas.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s government insists that winning the Gaza war will be impossible without taking control of Rafah, eliminating Hamas and retrieving any hostages that may be held there.

Translation: Walid Elias

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