Netanyahu's office denies reports of Prime Minister's Cairo trip amid Gaza ceasefire talks

After media reports suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to Cairo for talks on Gaza ceasefire deal, his spokesperson on Tuesday dismissed such claims saying that the prime minister was holding a briefing on Mount Hermon to discuss the situation in Syria.

“Netanyahu was holding a briefing on Mount Hermon, a strategic location overlooking Damascus,” The Guardian quoted a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday.

According to the report, the briefing involved discussions about the situation in Syria and was reported to be with Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, and the IDF’s Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, to “review the IDF’s preparations in the field, and set the rules for the next stage”.

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“The peak of Mount Hermon is the eyes of the State of Israel to detect near and far threats. The IDF is here to protect the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of the State of Israel from any threat, from the most important place to do so,” Times of Israel quoted Katz as saying in remarks provided by his office.

“We will be here for as long as it is needed. Our presence here at the peak of the Hermon strengthens security and adds a dimension of both observation and deterrence to Hezbollah’s strongholds in the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon and deterrence against the rebels in Damascus, who pretend to present a moderate image but belong to the most extreme Islamic sects,” Katz added.

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Meanwhile, Reuters on Tuesday reported that the Gaza ceasefire deal is expected to be signed in the coming days.

After months of impasse, there are fresh indications that Israel and Hamas may be nearing a ceasefire agreement for Gaza and a deal on hostage releases.

According to The Guardian report, both sides have expressed optimism in recent days that a deal may be close for a phased release of the surviving hostages in Gaza in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Hamas also issued a statement regarding the ongoing talks in Qatar, calling the discussions “serious and positive.”

“Hamas affirms that, in light of the serious and positive discussions taking place today in Doha under the auspices of our Qatari and Egyptian brothers, reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange is possible if the occupation ceases to impose new conditions,” The Guardian quoted Hamas as saying in a statement.

Qatar, alongside the US and Egypt, has been involved in months of behind-the-scenes efforts to broker a Gaza truce and hostage release.

Reports indicate that Hamas and other Palestinian militias are now reportedly showing more openness and flexibility towards a gradual, phased end to the conflict, with ongoing talks focusing on the number of hostages to be released in the first phase.

With inputs from agencies