An American Official: 'Ceasefire Negotiations' in Cairo Were 'Unproductive' but 'Constructive' and Will Continue in Smaller Groups

An American official stated that the high-level negotiations in Cairo aimed at reaching a ceasefire and an agreement for the release of hostages to temporarily end the 10-month war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza concluded on Sunday without a final agreement. In an interview with the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, the official added that 'negotiations will continue at lower levels in the coming days to address remaining gaps.' He mentioned that 'working teams' will remain in Cairo at lower levels to resolve outstanding differences with mediators from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The American official described the recent negotiations, which began on Thursday, September 1, and continued until Sunday, September 4, as 'constructive' and stated that all parties are striving for a final and implementable agreement. The negotiating parties included William Burns, the CIA director, and David Barnea, the head of Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency. The Hamas delegation was informed of the negotiations by Egyptian and Qatari mediators but did not participate directly. In another report from the state-run Al-Alam network, Ahmad Abdulhadi, a representative of Hamas militants in Lebanon, reacted to the Cairo negotiations by stating that Hamas remains committed to its conditions and will not accept the terms of the Israeli Prime Minister. He emphasized that 'we cannot accept the conditions of Israel that were repeated during the Doha negotiations' and added that the discussions in Doha were about Netanyahu's conditions and 'unfortunately, the U.S. was trying to show that progress was being made.' Abdulhadi stated, 'We want to ensure whether the negotiations will end the aggression or if there is a specific deception. Therefore, we remain committed to our conditions.' Developments in the Cairo negotiations occurred after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire on Sunday but refrained from starting an all-out war. Hezbollah claimed to have targeted an Israeli military intelligence site near Tel Aviv as part of a missile and drone attack, while Israel stated that its attacks were 'preventive' to avert a larger assault. However, neither side provided evidence. According to the Associated Press, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, stated that this attack was a response to the killing of Fouad Shakir, a senior militant commander in Beirut by Israel last month, which 'was delayed to allow ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and also to give Iran-backed groups the opportunity to discuss whether to attack Israel simultaneously or not.' Nevertheless, the military presence of Israel and the U.S. also played a significant deterrent role. He added that allied Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Islamic Republic have not yet responded. However, Nasrallah told the people of Lebanon, 'At this current stage, the country can breathe and be calm.' Danny Citrinowicz, an expert at the Israeli National Security Studies Institute, stated that Hezbollah might be trying to 'balance the equation without going to war,' and it seems that an all-out war has currently been avoided. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on Sunday regarding Israel's 'preventive' attack on Hezbollah positions, saying, 'This is not the end of the story.' Hezbollah announced on Sunday morning that it had fired more than 320 projectiles at its targeted bases and locations in Israel. In its statement, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted 11 military bases in northern Israel, and one of the videos released on social media shows a Hezbollah drone hitting a highway in northern Israel. Israeli media, citing military officials, reported that they targeted and destroyed launchers that were supposed to be fired at Israel at 5 a.m. on Sunday, September 4. The escalation of tensions in the Middle East; the U.S. Secretary of Defense extended the presence of two aircraft carrier strike groups in the region. An Israeli diplomat pointed to the 'very strong military posture of the United States': the Iranian government has postponed its attack on Israel. The Republican leader in the U.S. Senate called Hezbollah 'the most malignant form of cancer' of Iranian influence in the Middle East. Jordanian Airlines canceled its flights to Beirut. The President of Egypt warned about escalating tensions in the region during a meeting with a senior U.S. military commander. Netanyahu stated regarding the 'preventive' attack on Hezbollah: 'Nasrallah and Khamenei should know this is another step to change the situation.' The Israeli army neutralized Hezbollah's attempt to fire 'hundreds of rockets and drones at the center and north' of the country. Despite Hezbollah's attacks today, the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet went to Cairo for negotiations. Hezbollah's rocket attacks; the Israeli army stated that it has responded to the attacks; the White House: the President is closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon.