Wall Street Journal: The return of the residents of northern Gaza is a sticking point in the negotiations. Israel fears that Hamas will reorganize its ranks there.
The Qatari, Egyptian and American mediators in Cairo are trying to reach a truce between Hamas and Israel before the month of Ramadan. Israel had threatened to begin its ground attack on Rafah on March 10 - that is, the beginning of Ramadan - if Hamas did not release the Israeli detainees. US President Joe Biden stressed the importance of reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza before Ramadan, fearing the security conditions that Israel might witness during Ramadan.