Blinken Travels to Egypt to Discuss Cease-fire, Gaza-Egypt Border

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Facts

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian Pres. Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss cease-fire negotiations. Blinken said while in Israel on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a US 'bridging' proposal.^[1]
• One of the main points of contention has been the Gaza-Egypt border — often called the Philadelphi Corridor — as Netanyahu has argued that Israel must be present along the corridor to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza.^[2]
• Israel's presence along the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects the strip into north and south, has also been contentious. Hamas has rejected Israel's presence along the two corridors, which was reportedly not mentioned in previous proposals.^[2]
• Hamas claimed that the US 'bridging' proposal included Israel's demands regarding the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors, saying it wouldn't deviate from its July 2 response to an earlier Israeli proposal. The group added that it had walked back some of its demands but Israel has not reciprocated.^[3]
• While speaking to the families of hostages, Netanyahu said on Tuesday that 'Israel won't leave the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Corridor under any circumstances.' The families also said that Netanyahu seemed skeptical that a deal would be agreed upon.^[4]
• Egypt, which has publicly rejected the presence of Israeli forces along the Philadelphi Corridor, reportedly accepted Israel’s demand not to set a timetable for its withdrawal from the area, though Egypt still wants Israeli forces to withdraw 'as soon as possible.'^[5]

Sources: ^[1]Reuters, ^[2]Associated Press, ^[3]Timesofisrael (a), ^[4]Timesofisrael (b) and ^[5]AL.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by POLITICO. With the clock ticking, the US and its allies are confident that after some tough negotiating, a deal between Israel and Hamas can be reached. A guaranteed end to the war will ensure increased humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, the release of Israeli hostages, and create a better 'day after' in Gaza without Hamas in power. The US will continue to work toward closing the gaps and ensuring that peace and stability can be restored to the region.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. There's no question that Israeli forces must be stationed along the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent Hamas from rearming. Indeed, Netanyahu made clear to Blinken that Israel's security is paramount and that a withdrawal from these areas would pave the way for more terror. Israel is willing to be flexible, but it's not willing to compromise its principles or its duty to protect its citizens.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. There's no indication that a cease-fire is on the horizon. Netanyahu has consistently sought to escalate the situation and prolong his political career, thus why he added new conditions that he knows Hamas will never accept. Earlier proposals didn't mention an Israeli presence along the Philadelphi or Netzarim Corridors, but the US is now supporting these additional demands. While Palestinians face genocide, the US is only interested in supporting Israel's maximalist agenda.

Predictions