Palestinian delegation in Cairo says Israelis are still stubborn

Members of the Palestinian delegation in Cairo said that no deal had been reached with the Israeli occupation during the marathon talks held on Tuesday, Anadolu news agency reported.

Speaking to Anadolu just after the end of this round of talks, which lasted for more than six hours, Islamic Jihad leader Khalid Al-Batch said: “Things are still premature. There is no clear deal. The importance of the Egyptian role is necessary here. It has to work on achieving Palestinian demands.”

Al-Batch continued: “The Palestinian delegation is discussing issues through indirect talks brokered by Egypt. We know that talks are not easy, but we will try to overcome all obstacles.”

Regarding the Israeli position, he said: “The Israeli position is still stubborn. Our hope is based on the Egyptians, of whom we expect to put pressure on the Israeli side. We are insisting on achieving the demands of the Palestinians, not to waste them through the talks in Cairo.”

The Egyptians hosted marathon meetings with the Palestinian and Israeli delegations, racing the time to reach a deal before the end of the 72-hour truce, which lasts until Wednesday midnight.

An Egyptian diplomatic source told Anadolu that the Egyptians are trying to achieve any progress in the talks in order to expand the truce for the third time.

The Palestinian demands in the talks are: to end Israel’s aggressions on Gaza; lift the eight-year-old blockade; open the crossings; expand the fishing zone to 12 nautical miles; cancel the buffer zone on Gaza’s eastern borders; release those Palestinians freed in the Shalit swap, as well as the Palestinian parliamentarians and the fourth batch of prisoners who were previously cleared for release; build air and sea ports; and reconstruct the Strip.

An Israeli source also spoke to Anadolu about Israel’s terms for expanding the truce, saying that Israel showed initial agreement on the humanitarian needs of Palestinians in Gaza.

But the same source said the Palestinian demands to build sea and air ports have been rejected by the Israelis. “It is impossible for us to agree on sea and airports under an extremist state,” the source said, referring to Hamas.

To agree to this demand, the source said that the Palestinian Authority has to be united in the Gaza Strip, along with demilitarising the resistance. “This is an unnegotiable principle,” the source said.

At midnight, the Israeli delegation travelled to Israel for discussions, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. It is scheduled to return back to Cairo on Wednesday morning.