On Tuesday (13), the United States expressed an optimistic outlook on the high-stakes negotiations currently underway in Cairo, aimed at achieving a potential ceasefire in the Gaza Strip region and facilitating a prisoner exchange. The U.S. authorities stated that these discussions were progressing positively and seemed to be moving “in the right direction”.
This statement was made public by a spokesperson from the White House, John Kirby. His comments came during a press briefing, where he was asked about the ongoing negotiations involving several key actors. These include representatives of the CIA, Mossad, the terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as representatives from Egypt and Qatar, who are playing the role of the main mediators in this conflict.
“We are pleased that these talks are taking place. They have been constructive and moving in the right direction,” Kirby said. However, he refrained from divulging any specific details about the negotiations.
In Cairo, high-level meetings are underway, with William Burns, the director of the CIA, actively participating. He has already met with the president of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al Sisi, and they have agreed to continue “intensive coordination” in efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as per a statement from the Egyptian Presidency.
Additionally, Al Sisi also had a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohamed bin Abderrahman and Qatari Intelligence Chief Abdullah bin Mohamed al Julaifi during the day.
These high-level bilateral meetings are being held in Cairo, as reported by Egyptian television network Al Qahera News, a source close to Egyptian intelligence. The meetings commenced at midday with the primary objective of addressing the tension in the Palestinian enclave. However, no additional details about the content of these conversations have been disclosed as of yet.
According to an Egyptian security source who spoke to the EFE Agency, the agenda for these talks includes discussing new requests put forward by Hamas. These requests are seen as a response to a previous proposal made a few weeks earlier in Paris, following negotiations between the mediators, Qatar and Egypt, as well as the United States and Israel.
The source also suggested that these discussions could potentially result in a cessation of conflicts for a two or three-month period. During this time, the implementation of a prisoner exchange agreement would be carried out. Furthermore, efforts would be made to establish a permanent ceasefire and reinitiate the peace process.
