Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo for a new round of ceasefire talks - Foreign Affairs
The SIS stated that Egypt is intensifying communications with Qatar, the US, and other relevant parties to guarantee transitioning to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
On Tuesday, Hamas rejected a US-Israeli proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire deal by one month and swap more captives for prisoners because it did not include any guarantees that Tel Aviv would permanently end its war on Gaza.
Hamas stated it was willing to release all remaining captives in phase two — but only in exchange for the freedom of a larger group of Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and Israel's complete withdrawal from the strip.
On Sunday, a day after the first phase of the ceasefire expired, Israel suspended the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, renewing its deadly blockade and warned of 'additional consequences' if Hamas did not consent to extending the first phase of the ceasefire and releasing more captives.
The first phase of the ceasefire deal/prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US and in effect since 19 January, stipulated the entry of humanitarian aid to the strip to alleviate near-famine conditions.
According to the ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, the second phase of the deal should include negotiations on a permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, and an end to the war.
Meanwhile, the White House confirmed on Wednesday that US officials have engaged in direct talks with Hamas, breaking from a longstanding policy of avoiding direct engagement with the Palestinian resistance movement since 1997.
Follow us on:
Short link:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
19 minutes ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Yemen's Houthis fire ballistic missile at Israel main airport - Region
Yemen's Houthi group said it fired a missile launched at Israel's main civilian airport, after the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from the Arabian Peninsula country. The group targeted Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv with a "Zulfiqar ballistic missile" and drone, military spokesman Yehya Saree said late Wednesday. In the video statement, he also announced drone attacks on military targets and the southern Israeli port of Eilat. The Houthis have launched repeated missile and drone attacks against Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians. Israel has carried out several air strikes on Yemen, including on the port city of Hodeida earlier this month. The Israeli military had said that "following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, one missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted". Early on Wednesday, pro-government forces in Yemen said they seized "750 tonnes of weapons" en route from Iran to the Houthis. US Central Command hailed the operation, calling it "the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history". Tarek Saleh, who heads the Yemeni National Resistance Forces, said in a post on X that the seizure included "naval and air missile systems, an air defence system, modern radars, drones, monitoring devices, anti-tank missiles, B-10 artillery, tracking lenses, sniper rifles, ammunition, and military equipment". Earlier this month, the Houthis resumed attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, targeting ships having links to Israel, to force Israel to end the Gaza war. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
19 minutes ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
US' intentions for Sudan - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
Trump has proclaimed his intention to push for a solution to the conflict in Sudan, writes Asmaa Al-Husseini As the Sudanese Civil War persists in its relentless rampage of death, destruction, and immiseration, the Sudanese public are praying for an end to the unrelenting nightmare. 'We're facilitating peace also in places like Sudan, where they have a lot of problems,' US President Donald Trump said during a meeting with several visiting African leaders last week, indicating that Washington might be going to intervene in the Sudanese crisis. But can Washington succeed where others have failed? What form might a US-brokered solution take, and would it endure and deliver peace? These and many other questions are the subject of urgent debate and conjecture in Sudanese political circles. Washington is also determined to elbow out its rivals, especially Russia and China, which have made considerable political and economic inroads in Africa. This is not the first time that the US has announced its intention to resolve the Sudan crisis. Some weeks ago, US Middle East Envoy and Senior Adviser on African Affairs Massad Boulos described the Sudanese situation as 'the largest global humanitarian disaster currently' and that resolving the conflict was a 'top priority' for the US. Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio surprised attendees at the peace agreement signing between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo by saying that the US foreign policy's next destination would be Sudan. In terms of practical steps, it was noticeable that sometime earlier this year Egypt silently replaced the UK on the Sudan Quartet, which also includes the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. In their recent meeting in Washington, these countries' foreign ministers agreed to intensify efforts to compel the belligerents in Sudan to conclude a humanitarian ceasefire and to work towards a political settlement. Some weeks ago, the US also re-imposed sanctions on Sudan on the grounds that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) had used chemical weapons – a claim Khartoum has vehemently denied. The sanctions halt a large range of US exports, arms sales, and government financing to Sudan. The step has been seen as a purely political move, especially since the US authorities offered no dates, locations, or other concrete proof to substantiate the allegations. While Trump's statement has so far elicited no official comment from either the Sudanese government or the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighting it, it met with diverse reactions from other quarters of Sudanese society. The Sudanese civilian democratic coalition Sumud led by former prime minister Abdallah Hamdok welcomed US plans to facilitate a peaceful settlement in Sudan and praised the positive role the US had played in resolving African crises. Sumud expressed its hope that Washington's intervention would promote diplomatic efforts and help pave the way towards peace and the return to the democratic transformation process, in line with the aspirations of the majority of Sudanese people. In like manner, the National Umma Party (NUP) described Trump's statements as positive, noting that they came at a highly critical moment for Sudan amid the ongoing humanitarian suffering. The party stressed that the perpetuation of the conflict not only cast a dark shadow over the Sudanese economy but also threatened the stability and security of the entire region. The NUP urged the international community to listen to the voices of the Sudanese people and to support their free choices for reaching a comprehensive and lasting political solution that treats the roots of the crisis, ends the cycle of violence and coups, and opens the path to comprehensive national recovery and sustainable development. Any initiative to resolve the crisis must be based on the Sudanese national will backed by international support if it is to reflect Sudanese aspirations for a just and inclusive peace grounded on the principles of justice and accountability and pave the way to a democratic civil state, the NUP said in a statement. Sudanese writer and politician Mahdi Dawoud Al-Khalifa noted how vaguely worded Trump's commitment to peace in Sudan and Libya was. It came with no explicit vision, timeframe, or concrete steps, which led Al-Khalifa to question how serious and sustained Washington's renewed involvement would be. Would Trump be a reliable partner in a genuine Sudanese peace process or would he simply repeat past US mistakes by supporting the military at the expense of civilian forces? Al-Khalifa suspects that the Trump administration's interest in Sudan is less about promoting peace than about geopolitical calculations. 'It reflects a determination to reclaim a footing in the Horn of Africa amid Russian expansion in the Red Sea and Iranian influence in eastern Sudan. Apart from that, Sudan remains effectively absent from Washington's strategic agenda. There are no indications of a serious diplomatic drive along the lines of those involving Niger, Ukraine, or Taiwan,' he said. In Al-Khalifa's view, if Trump's vow to bring peace to Sudan is to have any credibility, Washington must develop a full package of solutions. They would include a security track leading to a ceasefire supported by regional powers and pressure on the external backers of both sides to cease military support for their proxies. The solutions would also include a political track, fully engaging Sudanese civilian forces and not just military forces, and there would be an economic track with its sights set on a concrete comprehensive reconstruction plan. Al-Khalifa is sceptical about the prospects for such solutions. 'Trump tends to support strongmen,' he said. In Sudan's case, where two military forces are butting heads, the Trump administration might find it hard to select just one of the two leaders as the strongman to back. Instead, it might turn to civilian or tribal alternatives as counterweights, he said. Al-Khalifa also noted Trump's image of himself as a deal-maker. This might combine with another well-known Trump trait, leading him to 'push for a peace deal in Sudan if it gives him concrete rewards like a lot of media attention and, maybe, a Nobel Prize,' he added. Babiker Faisal, head of the Sudanese Federalist Unionist Gathering, sees three possible scenarios for a US-led diplomatic drive to end the war in Sudan, which the US would present in a forthcoming ministerial meeting in Washington between the US, Saudi, Egyptian, and Emirati foreign ministers. The first scenario would be face-to-face talks between the leaders of the SAF and RSF aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement and forming a national unity government. Faisal compared this to the South Sudan experience, in which the belligerents first reached a temporary political settlement. Some international actors believe this model is replicable in Sudan. The second scenario would see a ceasefire without a comprehensive political settlement on the Libyan model. Each side would remain in power over the areas under its control, resulting in the emergence of two separate government administrations within a single state. Faisal warned that this scenario would entrench a de facto division and undermine prospects for a sustainable peace. The third scenario, or the 'comprehensive' scenario, as Faisal termed it, would lead to a complete ceasefire followed by a political process involving civilian forces and aiming to address the root causes of the crisis and prevent a backsliding into conflict. Such a scenario would require a broad civilian consensus, effective pressure on both sides and their outside backers, and a formula that balances the interests of all Sudanese stakeholders within a framework that promotes and safeguards the higher national interest. In Faisal's opinion, the US has come to realise that a military solution is unfeasible and that a peaceful political settlement is the only realistic option. The Sudanese actors must come to this realisation. Moreover, they must race to formulate solutions and reach settlements that promote the welfare of the Sudanese people and their country first. If they do not do so, they may find themselves forced to accept external solutions that do not necessarily serve their interests. * A version of this article appears in print in the 17 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
an hour ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Israeli Strike Hits Displaced Persons' Tent in Gaza School
Ahmed Emam Palestinian media have reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted a tent sheltering displaced civilians inside a school in the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, leaving several dead and wounded. The makeshift shelter had been set up for families who fled earlier bombardments. According to Alqahera News, the attack struck the tent within the school compound, causing civilian casualties amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. The strike comes as ceasefire negotiations in Doha continue without major progress. However, Israeli media—also cited by Al-Qahera News—reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his negotiation team to adopt a more flexible approach in talks aimed at reaching a Gaza ceasefire deal. The move signals a possible shift in Israel's negotiating stance amid growing international pressure and the rising civilian toll in the besieged enclave. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
