The team was headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, and included Maj. Gen. Eliezer Toledano, head of the IDF General Staff Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate.
CIA chief William Burns, the top American negotiator on the hostage issue, is leading the US team, CNN reported.
The Cairo negotiations took place amid dwindling expectations for significant progress in the near future for a deal that would see Israeli hostages released by Hamas in exchange for an extended pause in the fighting in Gaza and the release of many Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences for murdering Israelis.
A central sticking point in the talks is whether the IDF will continue to hold the Gaza-Egypt border area in the event of a deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that an Israeli presence on the Philadelphi Corridor is vital to preventing Hamas from re-arming, while Hamas says Israeli forces must withdraw entirely.
Disagreements over Israel’s future military presence in Gaza and over Palestinian prisoner releases are obstructing the ceasefire-for-hostages deal, 10 sources familiar with the round of US-mediated talks that concluded last week told Reuters. READ MORE
