According to a report by Reuters, despite progress in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the terror group has dismissed Israel’s requirement for screening returnees to northern Gaza. Hamas has stated that it will not accept or negotiate this stipulation and remains rigid on the issue of Israeli control over the Philadelphi Corridor.
In the meantime, a senior diplomatic source expressed concern that recent remarks by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris might adversely impact the negotiations. After her meeting with Netanyahu, Harris said, "The severe humanitarian situation in Gaza cannot be ignored. I will not remain silent. I told Netanyahu that it is time to close a deal." She also asserted that a two-state solution is the only way to ensure that Israel remains both Jewish and democratic while guaranteeing Palestinians' right to self-determination and dignified living conditions.
Harris continued, "The images of dead children and desperate, hungry people fleeing to safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third, or fourth time. We cannot turn a blind eye to these tragedies. We cannot afford to be numb to the suffering, and I will not remain silent."
A senior diplomatic source responded to Harris’s comments, saying, "We hope that the vice president’s remarks at the press conference will not be interpreted by Hamas as indicating a rift between the U.S. and Israel, which could hinder the deal. The meeting with President Biden was quite positive. I cannot say the same about the meeting with the vice president."
The source added, "The question now is how Hamas will respond to Israel’s proposal. One of the key points in discussions with Biden and Harris was that there should be no gap between Israel and the U.S., as this could impact the deal negatively given Hamas’s perspective. We need to hope this does not lead to a regression in Hamas’s position, as we have made significant progress."