(NewsNation) — The latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks ended in Cairo after “in-depth and serious discussions,” the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
After signs of progress, the outlook appeared to dim as Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza after Hamas militants attacked it.
Israeli diplomat and columnist Alon Pinkas joins NewsNation’s “Morning in America” to discuss the possible deal, saying victory looks different for the two sides.
“Israel has cornered itself into a position saying that only the eradication, obliteration, annihilation and toppling of Hamas would constitute a victory. So the end of the war now, in the context of a hostage deal, means that Israel failed to win. For Hamas, on the other hand, standing on their feet and waving a flag, even if it’s one flag, constitutes a win. So they’re insisting on a prolonged, extended or indefinite ceasefire. That’s the sticking point,” Pinkas said.
Pressure has mounted to reach a deal halting the nearly 7-month-long war. A top U.N. official says there is now a “ full-blown famine” in northern Gaza, while the United States has repeatedly warned close ally Israel about its planned offensive into Rafah, the southernmost city on the border with Egypt, where more than 1 million Palestinians are sheltering.
Pinkas tells NewsNation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more concerned about his hard-line Cabinet members.
“He’s basically now juggling between two numbers: 64, which is the number of members of parliament in his coalition, and 33, which is the number of the hostages reportedly to be released in the first phase of such a deal. He seems to be clearly preferring the 64,” Pinkas explained.
Gaza’s vast humanitarian needs put further pressure on the pursuit of a ceasefire. The proposal that Egyptian mediators had put to Hamas sets out a three-stage process that would bring an immediate, six-week ceasefire and partial release of Israeli hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attack, and would include some type of Israeli pullout.
The initial stage would last for 40 days. Hamas would start by releasing female civilian hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.