Another round of negotiations brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States aimed at securing a truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza have made "significant progress" as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) withdrew most of its ground troops from the trip's southern city of Khan Younis six months since the war began.
According to a Monday (Apr. 8) report from the Egyptian outlet Al-Qahera, such progress was "made on several contentious points of agreement," citing an unnamed high-ranking Egyptian source.
The three nations involved in meditating previous rounds of negotiations have been attempting—in vain—to create a workable agreement to end the war.
Al-Qahera additionally reported that Qatari and Hamas delegations had left Cairo and were expected to return "within two days to finalize the terms of the agreement."
On Sunday (Apr. 7), the IDF withdrew its forces from Khan Younis, wrapping up a key phase in its ground offensive against Hamas and bringing its troop presence in the strip to one of the lowest levels since the six-month war began.
However, defense officials said that the troops were merely regrouping as the IDF prepared to remove Hamas's final stronghold in Rafah.
"The war in Gaza continues, and we are far from stopping," IDF chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said.
Local broadcaster Channel 13 TV also reported that the IDF was preparing to begin evacuating Rafah within one week, and the process could take several months.
Meanwhile, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby confirmed to CBS on Sunday that the Israeli withdrawal was a mere "rest and refit."
"The indications that we've been getting from them this morning is this is really largely rest and refit for troops that have been on the ground consecutively now for four months," he said. "They need a chance to come out."
