Hamas says there have been ‘'positive indicators' from the Gaza ceasefire talks in Egypt. Officials from the group are in Cairo for discussions with mediators. CGTN correspondent, Adel El Mahrouky, reports.
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00:00Well, some progress, as you've said, has been made, but what exactly this kind of progress
00:06is has not been officially announced.
00:08Hamas has been sitting in continuous talks with the Egyptian Intelligence Bureau, led
00:13by the chief of the Egyptian intelligence himself, who has been taking that part of
00:18the negotiations personally, himself leading these efforts.
00:22Egypt is trying to push for the talks to begin for the second phase of the ceasefire, which
00:28should have started about a week ago.
00:31But Hamas has been under pressure to accept a specific deal from Israel since then, like
00:38about nine days ago, when the first phase expired, Israel has imposed a comprehensive
00:43blockade on this trip, and there are threats now for Israel to cut electricity out of Gaza,
00:50away from Gaza.
00:51So in general, it seems that the time is critical, but Hamas says it is ready to engage in talks
00:59as previously agreed for the second phase of the agreement, and it insists that the
01:06second phase agreement, based on the initial agreement that was brokered over six weeks
01:12ago, for unconditional aid to enter Gaza to be implemented, so that it can too take its
01:19part in that agreement, but it blames Israel for taking the negotiations back because of that.
01:25Meanwhile, Egypt is in direct communication, according to a statement by the Egyptian intelligence,
01:30with the Qataris, who are talking to the Israelis in Doha.
01:34So there are two parallel rounds of talks taking place, all of which are aiming to push
01:40for an agreement for a temporary ceasefire, at least during the holy month of Ramadan,
01:45for the next 21 days or so, until they finalize the agreement for the second phase of the talks.