Posted on 07/04/24
| News Source: Arutz-7
The Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar newspaper on Thursday morning reported "significant developments" in the negotiations for a ceasefire-prisoner swap deal between Israel and the Hamas terror group.
Separately, an Israeli official told CNN that recent developments indicate that Israel and Hamas are "on the brink" of signing an agreement for such a deal.
According to one report, Israel will evacuate the Rafah Crossing, with Egypt's agreement, until a final agreement is reached regarding who will manage the crossing in the future. However, Israel will not commit to a complete withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor.
A senior Israeli source said, "We received a response without a demand to commit to ending the war during the first stage. We can bring back the lookouts, the women, the children, the injured, the sick, the elderly. We can, and there is an escape route to return to the fighting - if Hamas violates the conditions of the agreement. There is a foundation here for a good deal."
However, a senior security source told Kan News that "Hamas continues to insist on a basic section which would prevent Israel from resuming the fighting after the first stage of the agreement - something which is unacceptable to Israel."
According to that source, there are also additional disagreements which have not yet been resolved.