‘Progress’ in Gaza truce talks but Israel still set on Rafah ground attack

Sources tell Al Jazeera that talks are at critical point as a technical team is working out details of a potential deal.

A delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas is in the Egyptian capital for truce and captive-release negotiations, with sources saying that some progress has been made.

However, sticking points remain, including Israel’s insistence on launching a ground invasion into Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah.

The Hamas team arrived in Cairo on Saturday to meet mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States regarding a proposal that would halt Israel’s war on Gaza for 40 days and exchange captives for Palestinian prisoners, according to details released by the United Kingdom.

Sources told Al Jazeera that negotiations are at a critical point as a Qatari technical team is working out the details of a potential deal with the Egyptians.

“Usually technical teams are indications that we are moving to the operational aspect of an agreement. There are phases in this agreement, and they will try to pin down the details of those phases,” said Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Doha.