"Brett McGurk," the United States President's senior advisor, has travelled to the Middle East for talks focused on progressing the release of prisoners held by Hamas and addressing the Gaza conflict.
During his visit to Egypt, McGurk is scheduled to meet with Abbas Kamel, the Director of Egypt's General Intelligence Service (GIS). Egyptian intelligence agencies play a crucial role as intermediaries between Israel and Hamas, particularly regarding the matter of prisoners.
McGurk is set to meet with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's Prime Minister, following his visit to Cairo. This influential leader is also acknowledged as the second mediator between Hamas and the Zionist regime.
The American diplomat had discussions with the Israeli regime officials regarding the mentioned negotiations. President Joe Biden also addressed this issue with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, on January 20th.
During this regional trip, it is expected that McGurk will delve into discussions regarding the conflict in Gaza and other tensions in the region.
Previously, The Wall Street Journal reported a collaborative effort by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to apply pressure on the Israeli regime and Hamas. The goal is to achieve a diplomatic resolution and bring an end to the war, with the release of Israeli prisoners held by Hamas as the starting point of this initiative.
Plans are underway for discussions on the withdrawal of the Israeli Zionist forces from the Gaza Strip, but both parties have yet to agree on the proposed terms.
Netanyahu dismissed the conditions presented by Hamas for a prisoner exchange. He asserted, "I reject Hamas' conditions overall, as acceptance would jeopardize the lost lives of our military personnel."
Netanyahu argued for Gaza's disarmament and its placement under complete security control by the Israeli regime.
Regarding the West Bank, he emphasized, "I will not compromise regarding Israel's full security control over the entire region west of the Jordan River."
John Kirby, the spokesperson and coordinator of strategic communications for the National Security Council at the White House, announced last week that Washington is "optimistic" about negotiations facilitated by Qatar ensuring the release of the remaining prisoners in Gaza.
He mentioned that Brett McGurk has been engaged in Doha in the past few weeks for "highly earnest and focused discussions" on this issue.
