White House: Progress in Cairo Talks on Gaza Truce

The White House announced on Friday that progress has been made in the Cairo talks aimed at reaching a truce in Gaza, urging both Israel and Hamas to advance the discussions. CIA Director William Burns and senior official Brett McGurk were involved in these negotiations, which began at a preliminary level on Thursday evening.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reported that the initial talks in Cairo were constructive and that continued momentum is needed in the coming days. He dismissed reports suggesting that the diplomatic efforts were on the brink of failure, stating that they were inaccurate.

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Middle East, indicating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was supportive of a U.S. proposal aimed at bridging gaps and achieving a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict, which has lasted more than 10 months.

Kirby reiterated that the U.S. believes Netanyahu is still in favor of the proposal, despite his insistence on keeping Israeli troops at the Gaza-Egypt border, a stance that has created tension with both Washington and Cairo.

Kirby also urged Hamas to accept the proposal discussed last week in Doha, emphasizing the potential benefits for the people of Gaza, including a period of calm and the opportunity to significantly increase humanitarian aid due to a halt in the fighting.