Tel Aviv [Israel], May 5: A delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas is in the Egyptian capital for truce and captive-release negotiations, with sources saying that some progress has been made.
However, sticking points remain, including Israel's insistence on launching a ground invasion into Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah.
The Hamas team arrived in Cairo on Saturday to meet mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States regarding a proposal that would halt Israel's war on Gaza for 40 days and exchange captives for Palestinian prisoners, according to details released by the United Kingdom.
Sources told Al Jazeera that negotiations are at a critical point as a Qatari technical team is working out the details of a potential deal with the Egyptians.
"Usually technical teams are indications that we are moving to the operational aspect of an agreement. There are phases in this agreement, and they will try to pin down the details of those phases," said Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Doha.
Osama Hamdan, a senior spokesman for Hamas, told Al Jazeera, "It's clear that we are moving forward. There are some good points.
"But till now, we are still talking about the main issue, which is the complete ceasefire and complete withdrawal from Gaza. We hope to find some good and positive answers today." Hamdan said one of the "key elements" discussed was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aim of sending the army into Rafah.
For its part, Israel has repeatedly said that regardless of a potential deal with Hamas, it will proceed with its invasion of Rafah. United Nations agencies and aid groups have long warned that a ground operation would result in a catastrophe for the more than 1.5 million people sheltered there.
"Unfortunately, there was a clear statement from Netanyahu saying that regardless to what may happen, if there was a ceasefire or not, he will continue the attack," Hamdan said. "That means there will be no ceasefire, and that means that the attack will be continued, which is against what we are discussing."
Source: Qatar Tribune
