Israel wants an extension of the first phase, with continued hostage releases, but Hamas insists on moving ahead toward a permanent cease-fire.
Israel and the Hamas terrorist group have resumed Cairo cease-fire negotiations, with the existing truce set to expire this weekend, according to Egyptian officials.
If they don’t reach an agreement, fighting may resume. During the six-week pause that began on Jan. 19, Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2006, released 25 hostages and the bodies of eight more back to Israel, in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of them serving life or long prison terms.
Hamas still holds an estimated 25 living hostages and the bodies of 30 more.
The Israeli delegation, as well as one from Qatar, which mediates the negotiations along with Egypt and the United States, arrived in Cairo on Feb. 27, according to the Jerusalem Post.
According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli negotiating team would return from Cairo on the evening of Feb. 28, but go back there the next day.
The Egyptian officials said Israel was seeking a 42-day extension of the cease-fire’s first phase. Hamas opposes that, seeking instead to stick to the…
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