US ‘bridging proposal’ for Gaza deal said to exclude two of Netanyahu’s key demands

The US “bridging proposal” designed to enable the finalizing of a hostages-for-ceasefire deal in the coming week does not provide for an ongoing Israeli presence along the Gaza-Egypt border or for a mechanism in central Gaza to prevent the return of armed Hamas forces to the Strip’s north, as demanded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hebrew media reported Saturday, citing unnamed officials familiar with the talks, Report informs referring to The Times of Israel.

Channel 12 reported that negotiations involving the US and Israel are set to continue in Cairo on Sunday. Only if Israel and the US can agree terms on these two key issues will Egypt and Qatar press Hamas to take the deal, the report said. Hamas has made clear that it will not agree to a deal that accommodates these two Israeli demands, the report noted.

The TV report added that Netanyahu, who has repeatedly insisted on these two demands in recent weeks, is expected to hold a fateful discussion with Israel’s negotiators and security chiefs, focused on these issues, before Sunday’s talks get underway in the Egyptian capital.

He is also slated to hold talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is due in Israel on August 18.