JERUSALEM/CAIRO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Negotiations over Israel's upcoming offensive in the Gaza Strip's southernmost city of Rafah and efforts to achieve a ceasefire deal with Hamas were "very good" between Israeli officials and a high-level Egyptian delegation, media and sources said Friday.
The negotiations were "very good, focused, held in good spirits and progressed in all parameters," a senior Israeli official told Israeli media Ynet.
"In the background, there are very serious intentions from Israel to move ahead in Rafah," and the Egyptians are willing to exert pressure on Hamas to achieve a deal, the official was quoted as saying.
According to the Israeli official, Israel made a warning that it would not agree to foot-dragging by Hamas on the hostage deal to delay the military operation in Rafah, and he also mentioned that Israel had deployed reserve soldiers to the Gaza Strip.
The officer told Israel's Channel 12 that "this is the last chance before we go into Rafah," reiterating that Israel would take 33 live hostages in the first phase of the agreement.
According to Channel 12, the official added that Israel is prepared to make more "significant compromises," such as permitting the evacuation of Gazan civilians in northern Gaza and removing its troops from a crucial corridor that divides Gaza.
Meanwhile, Egypt reportedly sent a high-level delegation, led by senior intelligence official Abbas Kamel, to Israel on Friday with the hope of brokering a ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza.
Considerable progress has been achieved in bringing the views of the Egyptian and Israeli delegations closer together regarding reaching a truce in Gaza, Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV reported.
In addition, two high-ranking Egyptian security officials confirmed to Xinhua that the talks discussed Egypt's "rescue initiative," which aims to prevent any more escalations in the Strip and avoid the invasion of Rafah.
The initiative, according to the source, focuses on stopping all Israeli preparations to invade Rafah, the exchange of prisoners from Hamas and the Israeli sides, and a sustainable ceasefire.
Egypt is keeping in touch with all parties to reach a final formula for a truce deal in the Gaza Strip, and the details of the truce talks between Egypt and Israel are limited to security delegations only, Al-Qahera news said.
On Thursday, Israeli media reported that the country is expected to "soon" begin evacuating civilians from Rafah ahead of a planned ground attack.
Earlier Thursday, Israel's wartime cabinet and security cabinet convened to discuss a possible assault on Rafah, a city previously considered a "safe zone" from the relentless Israeli bombardments, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians have found refuge. ■
