While Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar threatens that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be violated, senior Egyptian intelligence officials claim that Israel is dragging its feet when it comes to striving for a long-term truce agreement that will include the rehabilitation and rebuilding of the Gaza Strip.
A senior Egyptian General Intelligence official involved in Cairo's efforts to bring the ceasefire agreement to a long-term truce told Israel Hayom that "since the declaration of the ceasefire, the whole time the actual progress made has been negligible."
"The political situation in Israel does not make the process easier because there is currently no one in Jerusalem who will make decisive decisions, and all the discussions and talks that are currently taking place are nothing more than hot air. Israelis are unable or unwilling to advance contacts at the moment, and we have no idea what the direction is. We know what the spirit of things is," the senior added.
He said that Israel's delay in the indirect contacts with Hamas mediated by Egypt stems not from a deliberate intention, but due to the fact that the talks to strengthen the ceasefire and rehabilitate the Gaza Strip are conducted by Israel in two parallel routes: Political and senior officials in the defense and intelligence system subordinate to the Prime Minister's Office and the Defense Ministry, and the diplomatic route, led by the Foreign Ministry and its branches headed by Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, who met in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.
An Egyptian diplomat said that "during the meeting of Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gantz and other senior officials in Israel, things were heard that mostly contradicted the messages of Foreign Minister Ashkenazi in his meeting with officials in Cairo. It is very difficult to negotiate like this, and we very much hope that things will pick up in Israel. The new government that will be formed will also take a few weeks to get involved in decisions and make decisions, and unfortunately we do not have time for this procrastination. We do not justify the threats and quarrels of senior Hamas figures, but there is a degree of justice in their claim that Israel is dragging its feet."