High-level source: Gaza truce talks between Egypt, Israel limited to security delegations

CAIRO – 26 April 2024: A senior official has refuted reports of planned meetings between Egyptian and Israeli officials regarding discussions on a Gaza truce beyond the scope of security delegations.

The official emphasized that communications between Egypt and Israel regarding a truce in the strip are currently limited to security delegations.

Furthermore, the official reiterated the warning of severe consequences if Israel were to invade Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza.

A planned Israeli operation in Rafah has been widely rejected due to its potential catastrophic impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and regional stability.

According to media reports citing officials, a high-level Egyptian delegation was sent to Israel on Friday with the aim of brokering a truce agreement between Hamas and Israel.

The discussions on Friday will primarily focus on the potential exchange of some captives held by Hamas in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners, media cited an Egyptian official as saying.

The delegation will also discuss the return of a significant number of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.

The talks will then hopefully continue with the aim of bringing an end to the ongoing war, said the source.

The mediator's efforts will aim to find solutions that address the main demands of both parties, he added.

Egypt has consistently expressed its concerns regarding the planned operation in Rafah, which borders Egypt and is currently home to over half of Gaza's population, about 1.4 million Palestinians.

An Egyptian source previously emphasized that the presence of the Israeli army at the border with Egypt would constitute a violation of the 1979 peace treaty between the two countries.

Diaa Rashwan, Head of the State Information Service (SIS), stated on Tuesday that the Rafah operation would not effectively achieve the goals of returning captives or eliminating Hamas.

He also warned that such an operation would jeopardize 45 years of peace between Egypt and Israel.

The relentless Israeli airstrikes since October 7 have resulted in the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians, with more than 77,000 injured, plunging the strip into one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world.