ALBAWABA - Egyptian officials in Cairo have positive indications from the US administration that President Donald Trump is interested in completing the release of all Israeli prisoners and preventing the return of war in Gaza, even if he publicly states otherwise, according to the New Arab.
Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will likely start a visit to the Middle East tomorrow, Feb. 26, to complete talks and extend the Gaza agreement. The negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza deal were scheduled to start on the 16th day of the first phase which entered into effect on Jan. 19.
According to the New Arab sources, the Egyptian vision, which was initially accepted by Hamas, that the movement should distance itself from the civil and police administration in the Strip, represents a meeting point with US administration officials towards pushing for the second phase of the agreement.
According to an Egyptian source, there's not enough time to agree on second phase conditions, so an agreement could be reached to extend the first phase for at least two weeks until all the details of the second phase are completed.
The source also pointed out that the Palestinian movement's readiness to conclude a prisoner exchange deal during the second phase of the Gaza deal all in one time for the remaining hostages is met with American approval and welcome.
Despite the ceasefire deal in Gaza, Israeli air forces struck Rafah city in Gaza late Monday claiming that a rocket was launched from the same area towards its territory. "A short time ago, we attacked the launch site from which we observed a rocket being launched that fell in the Gaza Strip," the Israeli army said in a statement. "We also attacked another launch site in the area," it added.
