Hamas rejected Israel’s latest counter-proposal in ongoing hostage negotiations, reports said Friday CNNciting a diplomat familiar with the talks.
“They refused and claimed that it did not contain any response to their requests,” the diplomat said. Hamas believes “that the Israeli proposal contains nothing new, and that it therefore does not see the need to modify its proposal,” added the official.
The latest Israeli proposal does not meet Hamas’ demands for the unrestricted return of Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip and the complete withdrawal of IDF troops from the Gaza Strip, the diplomat says, adding that Israel has insisted on the inspection of people returning to the north and refused to withdraw from the central Gaza Strip.
CIA Director William Burns, Israeli Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel , will meet in Cairo this weekend to continue ceasefire negotiations, according to officials.