Hamas delegation heads to Cairo but will not join talks; Netanyahu clashes with Israeli negotiators

Negotiators are gearing up for crucial talks this weekend aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza as fighting continues in the Palestinian territory. Despite the ongoing conflict, Hamas hasannounced that while itwill send a delegation to the Egyptian capital Cairo, it will not participate in the discussions.

The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have been working for months to mediate an end to the ongoing conflict between Hamas militants and Israel.

A senior Hamas official told AFP that a delegation from the group would be heading to Cairo. However, the delegation will only meet with Egyptian officials to receive updates on the talks and will not participate in the negotiations.

The official stated that Hamas will demand that Israel withdraw its forces entirely from Gaza, including from the Philadelphi Corridor, a border area with Egypt.

Netanyahu at odds with Israeli negotiators over Philadelphi Corridor

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly at odds with Israeli negotiators over the ceasefire terms, particularly regarding the Philadelphi Corridor.

A source familiar with the discussions told Reuters that Netanyahu is firm in his position that Israel should maintain control over the corridor to prevent the smuggling of weapons and fighters by Hamas. Additionally, the Israeli PMinsists on maintaining checkpoints in the Netzarim Corridor to stop armed Hamas fighters from moving between the southern and northern parts of Gaza.

Despite pressure from his team for more concessions, Netanyahu has only agreed to slightly adjust one Philadelphi position, moving it a few hundred metres but keeping overall control of the area.

Israeli military strikes in Gaza kill 50

Israeli military strikes in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of 50 people on Saturday, according to Palestinian health authorities. Many of the victims from the past 48 hours remain on the roads where fighting persists or are trapped under debris.

Hamas'October 7 attack on southern Israel led to the deaths of 1,199 people, most of them civilians, based on Israeli official figures reported by AFP. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed 40,334 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza's health ministry, with the United Nations reporting that most of the casualties are women and children.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.