Deadlock in Cairo talks: Hamas and the United States are far from reaching an agreement on the future of the Gaza Strip
Deadlock in Cairo talks: Hamas and the United States are far from reaching an agreement on the future of the Gaza Strip
According to reports on the Arabic channel "Asharq" cited in News from the Field on Telegram, the contacts taking place in Cairo between representatives of the American administration and the Peace Council and the Hamas leadership have hit a deadlock. According to the report, the United States presented an "unequivocal demand for the disarmament of Hamas," a proposal that was rejected by the organization.
Conversely, Hamas is demanding an end to the policy of targeted killings and a full withdrawal of IDF forces from the Strip. As reported in Unification of Arenas, the terrorist organization claims that "over 800 Palestinians have been killed in IDF attacks since the ceasefire agreement in October," and is using these figures as an argument that Israel is not meeting its commitments. It was further reported that the mediators (Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey) replied to Hamas envoys that they cannot accede to their demand to stop Israeli military activity.
Meanwhile, it was reported in Security Flashes 24/7 that Qatar has notified the mediators of the end of its role in mediating the implementation of the Gaza plan, noting that its involvement concluded with the achievement of the hostage deal and the initial ceasefire. It is leaving the handling of the remaining files – including the technocratic committee, the issue of weaponry, and the Israeli withdrawal – in the hands of Egypt.
The negotiations, accompanied by reports of growing frustration on all sides, reflect the deep gaps that remain on the table. While Hamas accuses Israel of expanding its areas of control in the Strip, American figures such as Aryeh Lightstone continue to insist on changing the political-military status of the organization as part of the terms for a permanent settlement, as noted in the report by Shachar Kleiman.