Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians continue on a Gaza truce, and though there wasn’t much progress today, both sides seem convinced that an end to the war is coming, whether through the Cairo deal or otherwise.
The draft terms of the Cairo deal would open the Gaza border, broaden the Gaza fishing zone, and allow aid into the enclave. Hamas has expressed annoyance at the lack of reference to their seaport demand, and while they are threatening a return to violence, the indications are it is just a negotiating tactic.
Israel is feeling the pressure to make a deal, too, with Israeli officials saying they believe that if the Cairo talks end without a pact, Western nations will impose a settlement on them through the UN Security Council.
From a public relations standpoint, Israel would likely prefer to say they reached a deal on their own, rather than having one thrust on them by the UN. The terms of either deal will likely be more than the cabinet’s hawks want.
Ultimately, the seaport probably won’t be enough to kill the Cairo deal, though Hamas may manage to get at least some promise to revisit the issue at some point in the future. In the end, both sides want to have a pact they can sell as a “victory,” but there isn’t much appetite to go back into the war.