CIA Director William Burns (European Archives)

Egyptian media reported the start of a meeting in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the truce in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners, with the participation of CIA Director William Burns, Mossad Chief David Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, and Egyptian officials.

At the same time, a leading source in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) told Al Jazeera that there is no delegation from the movement in Cairo currently.

The source added that the movement is still awaiting the results of the ongoing meetings in Cairo, indicating continued contacts with mediators.

The leader of the movement, Osama Hamdan, said yesterday, Monday, during a press conference that the occupation’s response, which the movement was informed of, represents a retreat from the Paris proposal, in reference to the framework that was reached in the French capital late last month.

Hamdan added that the occupation imposes conditions and obstacles that do not help in reaching an agreement that achieves an end to the aggression against the Palestinian people, and does not guarantee the freedom of movement of the population and the return of the displaced to their homes and places of residence.

Calm proposals

While the United States talks about efforts to reach a truce for at least 6 weeks between Hamas and Israel, sources indicate that there is disagreement regarding the duration and nature of the potential truce, despite reports of progress in mediation efforts.

The Wall Street Journal quoted officials as saying that Israel wants a temporary truce while Hamas demands a permanent ceasefire. Tel Aviv also rejects the movement’s demands for a complete withdrawal from Gaza, according to the same sources.

The newspaper reported that Israel's decision to send a team - led by the head of the Mossad - to the Cairo meeting came after US President Joe Biden increased his pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On the other hand, the Associated Press quoted a senior Egyptian official as saying that the meeting focused on “drafting a final draft” for a 6-week ceasefire agreement with guarantees for continued negotiations in order to reach a permanent ceasefire.

The Egyptian official stated that the mediators had achieved "relatively" significant progress in their efforts, prior to the start of the Cairo meeting.

On the other hand, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a press conference that the ongoing talks in Egypt are constructive and moving in the right direction, as he put it.

He continued, saying, "We would like the hostages to return, and we are making unremitting efforts to reach an extended truce to get them out."

Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met in Cairo today with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, and also held discussions with the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency.

'Critical' meeting

Associated Press quoted a Western diplomat in the Egyptian capital that there is a 6-week deal on the table, but he stressed that more work is needed to reach a consensus.

The Western diplomat - who requested that his name not be published - added that Tuesday's meeting is crucial in filling the remaining gaps until the two parties agree to a truce for a period of 6 weeks and enter into talks for a final ceasefire agreement.

For its part, Reuters quoted informed sources that the Cairo meeting focuses on a three-stage framework that would lead to the release of Israeli detainees in Gaza and the achievement of an extended truce.

Meanwhile, internal pressure continues on Netanyahu's government, as the families of the Israeli prisoners issued an appeal to the heads of the Mossad and Shin Bet, saying, "Do not return from Cairo until all the prisoners return."

The Qatari-Egyptian mediation led to a truce between Hamas and Israel for a week in late November, during which prisoners were exchanged and limited aid was brought into Gaza.

As the Israeli war on Gaza enters its fifth month, attention is focused on the situation in the city of Rafah, south of the Strip, where about 1.4 million Palestinians live, amid warnings from Arab and international parties of the consequences of the occupation forces invading the city and committing genocide.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies