Egypt: A Political Will Can Lead to a Ceasefire in Gaza

Badr Abdelatty, Egypt's Foreign Minister, stated on Saturday, August 18, that if there is political will, a ceasefire in Gaza is achievable. According to the Jerusalem Post, he noted that there are some gaps in the negotiations and added that efforts are being made to bridge these gaps by resuming talks and reaching an agreement. The Egyptian Foreign Minister's remarks about the possibility of a ceasefire agreement came just hours after Hamas officials, the Iran-backed militant group, claimed that Israel was responsible for the delay in finalizing the negotiations. Additionally, members of the Egyptian negotiating team in Doha, the capital of Qatar, told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar that they are facing 'severe problems' in the ceasefire talks. They described the negotiations as 'a mine being dismantled.' Earlier, Joe Biden, the President of the United States, stated in a statement on Friday, August 17, that the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza are 'growing' and warned all parties involved in the region against 'any actions that could undermine this process.' According to mediators, two issues complicating the negotiations are the presence of Israeli soldiers at the Gaza-Egypt border and Israel's 'veto' over which Palestinian prisoners should be released. One of the most notable Palestinian prisoners that Hamas is demanding for release is Marwan Barghouti. The group announced on February 2 that the release of Marwan Barghouti, a jailed leader of the Fatah movement, must be part of any agreement with Israel to end the conflicts in Gaza. Marwan Barghouti was arrested in 2002 on charges of multiple murders but refused to present a defense in his trial, rejecting the legitimacy of the court. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post reported that a Palestinian prisoner released during a prisoner exchange last November shot at a 60-year-old Israeli man in a terrorist attack last Monday, and Hamas claimed responsibility for it. Mediators stated that Israel has conditioned the release of Palestinian prisoners on their exit from Palestinian territories. A senior U.S. official said on Friday that the negotiations in Doha regarding the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas were the 'most constructive' talks that mediators have witnessed in recent months. He added that Joe Biden has spoken with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the President of Egypt, and Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, and they agreed that it is time to end this conflict and discussed the proposal put forward by the United States. Biden also stated on Friday that the U.S. proposal provides a basis for reaching a final agreement on the ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Biden emphasized, 'I am regularly updated on the latest developments in the negotiations, and I will send Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State, to Israel in the coming days to reaffirm the United States' ironclad support for Israel's security.' Background: During the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 1,200 citizens, mostly civilians, were killed, and more than 250 others, including women, children, and the elderly, were taken hostage. In response to this terrorist attack, the Israeli army launched its offensive in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing the kidnapped hostages. Israel, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and several other countries around the world consider Hamas a terrorist organization. A U.S. official: The ceasefire and hostage release negotiations in Doha were 'very constructive.' Biden: We are closer to a 'ceasefire agreement' in Gaza than ever before. Biden's warning to all parties in the Middle East: No one should undermine the 'growing peace process in Gaza.' The U.S. has proposed a new plan for establishing a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages. A new round of ceasefire negotiations in Doha is ongoing; discussions will continue on Friday. Netanyahu denied Axios's report about talks with Donald Trump regarding Gaza negotiations. Protesters in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv called for Netanyahu's government to agree to the release of hostages. The U.S., the U.K., and Germany emphasized the importance of a swift ceasefire in Gaza: Tehran will pay the price for undermining the negotiations.