Cairo Negotiations End as Israeli Delegation, CIA Director Depart

According to two Egyptian security sources, both the Israeli delegation and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have departed from Cairo. This announcement comes at a time when high-level negotiations regarding the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip are taking place in the city under the mediation of all parties involved in the armistice negotiations. As per a well-informed American source, the Hamas delegation has left for Doha while the mediators from Israel, Qatar, and Egypt remain in Cairo. The departure of the Israeli delegation and the CIA director signals the end of their involvement in the current round of negotiations, which began in Cairo. However, a senior Israeli official reportedly stated that reservations were presented concerning Hamas’ response to the mediators, and Israel would continue its military operations in Rafah and Gaza as planned. These developments come amidst renewed efforts towards reaching a ceasefire, with statements from both the Hamas political bureau member Ezzat Al-Raqq and the Israeli media outlet Channel 12 indicating that talks have resumed in Cairo with the participation of all delegations involved in the truce negotiations in the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, US officials have confirmed that CIA Director William Burns travelled to Israel to facilitate these negotiations. While the US move is largely symbolic, it is seen as a sign of trouble and may lead to further complications if sustained.