Cairo talks focus on Philadelphi Corridor
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Israel on August 19, said Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to a “bridging proposal” to address the remaining sticking points over a Gaza cease-fire and hostage exchange, putting the burden on Hamas.
Netanyahu and his people were more circumspect than Blinken on whether the PM may be closer to a deal. Three days later, speaking by phone, US President Joe Biden supposedly got the Israeli PM to agree to show some flexibility on Israel’s demand for a troop presence along the Philadelphi Corridor, Gaza’s southern border with Egypt — a sticking point in the negotiations.
The combination of another Blinken visit, mixed messages from Netanyahu and Biden talking “tough” to Netanyahu over the phone has a familiar ring.