Cairo Discusses Week-Long Truce in Exchange for Freedom of Elderly Hostages

05 March

The Gaza Strip truce negotiators representing Egypt, Qatar, and the US have proposed a week-long ceasefire in exchange for the release of several elderly hostages held in the enclave, according to Al Arabiya.

 

Supporters of the Palestinian Hamas movement do not agree with the proposal for a short pause in hostilities and continue to insist that it last as long as possible, the source claimed. The second day of talks concluded on these positions, with the sides expected to continue consultations on March 5.

 

Cairo talks on a truce in the Palestinian enclave, involving Egypt, Qatar, the US, and Hamas, have been ongoing since March 3. The Israeli delegation is not participating in the current round. On March 4, Al-Ghad TV quoted a source as saying that the sides had made "significant progress" on the first day of talks and were aiming to reach some kind of agreement by March 11.

 

On March 2, Al Hadath TV reported that Hamas and Israel reached an agreement on the length of the Gaza truce and how to exchange hostages for Palestinians held in Israeli jails. According to the source, an agreement remains to be reached on the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the northern parts of the enclave and the return of residents there.

 

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic World"

Photo: David Berkowitz/Creative Commons 2.0

Based on materials from TASS