Israel 'suggests withdrawing from five points' on Egypt-Gaza border as ceasefire negotiations continue

Egyptian officials presented to Hamas on Saturday the latest Israeli proposal for the status of the border between Gaza and Egypt.

An Israeli delegation informed Egyptian officials of the possibility of Israel's army withdrawing from five military points on the Philadelphi corridor out of eight currently present, while keeping two west of the Rafah crossing and one to its east, The New Arab's Arabic sister service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

Following a request from Egypt, a Hamas delegation headed by Khalil Al-Hayya arrived in Cairo on Saturday evening and the Israeli proposal was presented to it for study.

The Egyptian side insisted that Israel fully evacuate the Rafah crossing on the first day of ceasefire to prepare for the entry of humanitarian aid and the exchange of captives.

Egyptian officials told the Hamas delegation Cairo rejects any permanent Israeli army presence in the Philadelphi corridor and that Egypt's position on this cannot be reversed.

They said the Israeli army's presence in the strategic border strip was "temporary" until the end of the military operations in Gaza.

Egyptian officials are, however, unsure whether Hamas will accept the new proposal.

The group was presented maps of the Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi corridor and the mechanism for its movements along the corridor from the west to the east of the Rafah crossing, extending to Karam Abu Salam (Kerem Shalom), after the proposed withdrawal from the five points it currently occupies if the agreement is implemented.

It is believed that if Hamas agrees to the latest proposal, the Egyptians will send the organisation's response to the Israelis, and if the Palestinian group's response is positive, Israel will offer a new concession.

This would involve accepting proposals regarding a mechanism for displaced Palestinians to return from southern to northern Gaza, stipulating that the Israeli army will not be present in the Netzarim corridor, which splits the coastal enclave in two, to avoid obstructing their movements.

The Axios news website reported on Friday that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to give up one Israeli troop position along the Egypt-Gaza border, according to three Israeli officials.

Doubts over negotiations

Musa Abu Marzouk, another senior member of the organisation, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the delegation travelled to Cairo "based on the existence of a development but it is not complete".

An unnamed senior Hamas official earlier told the AFP news agency that the group was sending a delegation to Cairo on Saturday but would insist Israel withdraw all its forces from all of Gaza, including from the Philadelphi corridor on the border with Egypt.

In July, Hamas accepted a US proposal to begin talks on releasing Israeli hostages, including soldiers and men, 16 days after the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war, a senior Hamas source has told the Reuters news agency.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since insisted on keeping troops at the Philadelphi corridor and the Netzarim Junction, further stalling the negotiations.

Israel's war on Gaza, which began over 10 months ago, has killed at least 40,405 people, according to the Palestinian enclave's health ministry.

Hospitals, places of worship, and residential buildings have been attacked, while South Africa has accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' top tribunal.

AFP and Reuters contributed to this report.