Gaza cease-fire talks hit snag over sea, air ports
Egypt has proposed that discussions of sea and air ports for Gaza be postponed until September, a move that is unlikely to receive a warm response from Hamas.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — More developments have been taking place in Cairo to conclude a cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel. Al-Monitor has learned that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas may visit Doha in the next few hours to meet with the head of Hamas' political bureau, Khaled Meshaal. This is happening amid the faltering truce negotiations and Egypt’s inability to reach a final agreement on the cease-fire.
Al-Monitor also learned from one of the members of the Hamas delegation in Cairo, on Aug. 18, that the chances of reaching an agreement with Israel are dim, after Israel added a clause for the disarmament of the resistance in Gaza. This has brought the situation back to square one, which reinforces the chances of extending the truce, as Egyptians demanded.
The setback comes after some progress had been made in the previous round of negotiations that produced the five-day truce on Aug. 13, which is due to expire Aug. 18.
Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas' political bureau and a participant in the Cairo negotiations, told Al-Monitor on Aug. 17, “During our negotiations in Egypt, some files were addressed, but many others are still pending. Although many, including myself, were not reassured with the extension of the truce, the conflict management requires wisdom, while maintaining focus on the goals and leaving the tactics to the resistance, including a temporary truce and others.”
