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Israel and Hamas are facing a new round of talks under pressure from the United States to reach a ceasefire

Israeli and Hamas negotiators face a new round of talks this weekend in Cairo to try to reach a ceasefire in Gaza for at least six weeks accompanied by the release of new Israeli hostages taken by Palestinian militias in the October 7 attacks. On Friday, the United States put more pressure on negotiations to finally lead to a cessation of hostilities.

White House spokesman John Kirby welcomed Israeli announcements on Friday about opening new routes to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Strip – and Israel announced that it would open the Erez border crossing in northern Gaza, which will designate the port of Ashdod for the supply of humanitarian aid. The flow through the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south will increase, but he stressed on several occasions the need to make progress in the negotiations in Cairo.

“We welcome all the steps that have been taken. What also remains is a return to the negotiating table in Cairo to reach an agreement that will allow the release of the hostages,” Kirby stressed.

The new round of talks will be held in Cairo after Biden urged Netanyahu during the phone call on Thursday to “empower his negotiators to conclude an agreement without delay and bring the hostages home,” according to a statement later issued by the White House. From Washington's perspective, this phrase indicates that Netanyahu did not give his negotiators sufficient mandate to reach an agreement, and it also shows that the United States is running out of patience.

In an attempt to speed up the process, Biden also sent a letter on Friday to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, pressuring the Palestinian movement Hamas to reach an agreement with Hamas. Israel, a senior US official told EFE.

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have been mediating for months between Israel and Hamas to reach a cessation of violence that would allow more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, where hunger is spreading due to Israeli obstacles to humanitarian organizations, both private and institutional. International organizations such as the United Nations. About thirty minors died from acute malnutrition.

An Egyptian security source told EFE that the next round of negotiations will be held in Cairo over the weekend and will be attended by Mossad chief David Barnea and CIA chief Bill Burns. The current proposal being negotiated could lead to a six-week ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, in addition to the release of 40 hostages held by Hamas, including female soldiers, men over the age of 50 and other sick men. In return, Israel releases 700 Palestinian prisoners, according to what was leaked in American and Israeli media. (Effy)