The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth quoted unnamed Israeli sources involved in the talks as saying that "significant progress has been made, but no breakthrough."
She claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given the Israeli negotiating team "greater flexibility and decision-making space in an effort to reach an agreement," despite his procrastination and insistence on continuing the genocide in the Gaza Strip.
For its part, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted an unnamed diplomat involved in the negotiations as saying, "Notable progress has been made in the talks, even if not all issues have yet been resolved."
The Broadcasting Authority added: "It was reported yesterday (Tuesday) that the gaps between the two sides have narrowed," claiming that "Israel has shown flexibility in the ongoing discussions in Doha, according to a foreign source," and explaining that "technical teams are currently focused on amending the deployment maps that define the areas where the Israeli army will remain."
The Authority noted that "the cabinet (the ministerial cabinet) held a meeting yesterday evening, headed by Netanyahu, during which it discussed a proposal to establish a humanitarian city in Rafah to accommodate the displaced, in addition to the details of the exchange deal."
It's worth noting that the detention camp Israel intends to establish in Rafah is reminiscent of the infamous Nazi concentration camps of the 1940s. Through this camp, Tel Aviv seeks to detain and starve hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to force them to emigrate abroad, according to international observers and Hebrew media outlets, including Haaretz.
"Fourth Axis"
This comes as the Israeli occupation army announced on Wednesday the establishment of a fourth axis in Gaza, separating eastern Khan Yunis from its western part along a 15-kilometer stretch, marking a new chapter in the fragmentation of the Strip amid the ongoing genocide.
To date, the Israeli occupation army has announced the Netzarim Axis, which separates the northern Gaza Strip from the rest of the Strip, the Philadelphi Axis on the border between Gaza and Egypt, and the Morag Axis, which separates Rafah and Khan Yunis.
The Israeli occupation army said in a statement: "Forces from the 188th Brigade and the Golani Brigade have completed the Magen Oz axis separating the east and west of Khan Yunis." It added: "The axis extends for a distance of approximately 15 kilometers," claiming that it "constitutes a central part in pressuring Hamas and resolving the battle," as it put it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is using the axes as a pretext to disrupt indirect negotiations with Hamas, insisting on remaining in the negotiations to continue the genocide in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Palestinian movement has agreed to previous proposals and demanded the Israeli army's complete withdrawal from the Strip.
While Hamas has shown flexibility with previous proposals for a ceasefire in Gaza, Netanyahu has stalled and insisted on continuing the genocide despite strenuous efforts from Egypt and Qatar.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and displacement, ignoring international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The genocide left more than 197,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and famine claimed the lives of many, including children, as well as widespread destruction.
