Antony Blinken to visit Egypt this week to accelerate ceasefire talks

Tel Aviv, March 20 (IANS) US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, will visit Egypt later this week and will be reviewing the ongoing peace talks between Israel and Hamas.

The US has already told Israel that it won't be supporting any ground offensive in Rafah as it would affect the lives of civilians, including women and children in large numbers.

US President Joe Biden has already communicated his country's stance regarding the Rafah operations in a direct telecall to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, the Mossad Chief, David Barnea, who was leading the Israeli delegation in Qatar for peace talks has returned back to Tel Aviv on Tuesday night after Israel did not budge to many demands put forward by Hamas through mediating nations like Qatar and Egypt.

According to Israel Defence Ministry sources, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant have told the Israeli delegation in Doha to continue the negotiations on Israeli terms and not to agree to unreasonable demands by Hamas.

IANS had reported on Tuesday that talks had hit a roadblock due to the tough stand taken by Israeli negotiators.

Israeli intelligence agencies, including Mossad and Shin Bet, have also informed the Israel War Cabinet, according to sources in Israel Defence Ministry, that the Hamas was trying to buy time and prevent a ground onslaught by the Israeli army in Rafah.

The absconding Hamas commander, Yahya Sinwar, according to Israel intelligence officials, was trying to protect the four Hamas battalions that are stationed in Rafah.

The Hamas leadership, according to Mossad and Shin Bet, believes that mounting international pressure would lead to Israel quitting from the Rafah ground offensive and hence buying time in the name of ceasefire would help it protect the remaining four batalions.

The Hamas's army has almost crumbled and to stay afloat the terror group wants to retain its remaining four battalions.

The visit of Antony Blinken to Egypt is significant in this context and it has to be seen how the Israeli side would agree to the terms and conditions for a ceasefire put forward by the Hamas.