Omar Abdel-Baqui
Israel has given Hamas a week to agree to a cease-fire deal or it will go ahead with its military operation in Rafah, Egyptian officials briefed on the matter said Friday, as the militant group holds out for better terms that would ensure its survival.
Egypt worked with Israel on a revised cease-fire proposal that it presented to Hamas last weekend, according to Egyptian officials. Hamas’s political leadership was expected to consult with its military wing in Gaza and respond. But Yahya Sinwar, the group’s military leader in Gaza, who is believed to be hiding in tunnels in the enclave and makes the final decisions, hasn’t responded, the officials said.
Egyptian officials conveyed the message from Israel to Hamas on Thursday.
Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns arrived in Cairo on Friday for meetings with Egyptian officials about efforts to reach a deal. Hamas said that it would send a delegation to Cairo on Saturday to continue the negotiations.
No comments:
Post a Comment