Gaza Talks in Cairo End Without Agreement: What’s Next?

Two Egyptian security sources reported that no agreement was reached on Sunday, August 25, 2024, during the talks held in Cairo aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza. Both Hamas and Israel rejected several of the solutions proposed by mediators, casting further doubt on the prospects of making progress in the latest U.S.-backed efforts to end the 10-month-long war, according to Reuters.

Multiple rounds of negotiations over the past months have failed to reach an agreement to end the genocidal war waged by Israeli forces on Gaza or to finalize a prisoner exchange deal.

Key Points of Disagreement in the Negotiations

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, speaking at a press conference in Halifax, Canada, stated that Washington continues to make “intense” efforts in Cairo with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, as well as with the Israelis, to secure a ceasefire and an agreement on hostages.

According to Reuters, the main points of contention in the U.S.-, Egyptian-, and Qatari-mediated talks involve the Israeli presence in what is known as the Philadelphi (Salah al-Din) Corridor, a narrow strip of land 14.5 kilometers long along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt.

An Egyptian source mentioned that mediators had proposed several alternatives regarding the presence of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netsarim Corridor, which runs through the center of Gaza, but neither side accepted any of the proposals.

The sources added that Israel also expressed reservations about the number of detainees that Hamas is demanding to be released, insisting that they must leave Gaza if they are freed.

Israel Backtracks on Previous Agreements

Hamas stated that Israel reneged on its commitment to withdraw its forces from this corridor and imposed new conditions, including screening displaced Palestinians as they return to the densely populated northern Gaza when the ceasefire begins.

Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al-Aqsa TV, “We will not accept any backtracking on what we agreed to on July 2 or any new conditions.”

In July, Hamas announced its acceptance of a U.S. proposal to begin negotiations for a prisoner exchange deal, which includes soldiers and men captured by the resistance on October 7, following the first 16 days of a phased agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war.

Hamdan also noted that Hamas had submitted its response to the latest proposal through the mediators, adding that “the U.S. administration is creating false hope by talking about an imminent agreement for electoral purposes.”

Meanwhile, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq stated that a Hamas delegation left Cairo on Sunday after holding talks with the mediators. He added that the movement reiterated its demand that any agreement must include a permanent ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.