CIA Director and Egyptian President Sisi Hold Gaza Cease-fire Talks
Central Intelligence Agency chief William Burns met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Tuesday as both parties aim to salvage Israel-Hamas cease-fire negotiations.
Along with Qatar, the United States and Egypt have served as the primary mediators working towards a deal to end the devastating nine-month war.
Egypt’s presidential office issued a statement reiterating Sisi’s opposition to continued military operations in Gaza.
“The president affirmed the Egyptian position rejecting the continuation of military operations in the Gaza Strip.”
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Hamas’ agreement to major concessions last week seemed to indicate that substantial progress had been made in bringing about an end to the conflict, but efforts appear to have stalled in response to Israel’s newest offensive into Gaza City.
In a statement released on Monday, Hamas’ Doha-based political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, alleges that the assault is threatening to derail the talks altogether.
The statement quotes Haniyeh directly, who calls out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu specifically and implores mediators to bring the Israeli premier into line or risk bringing “the negotiation process back to square one.”
Israeli tanks pushed deep into Gaza City on Monday and have since ordered civilians to evacuate the area and head south.
The Palestinian Fatah Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades confirmed in a statement that they have responded militarily by firing mortars at Israeli forces.
While senior US officials scramble to bring both sides back to the table, a high-level Egyptian delegation is also set to travel to Doha on Wednesday “on a mission to bring viewpoints closer between Hamas and Israel,” according to a government source cited by Egyptian state media on Tuesday.
