CIA Chief Goes to Egypt to Try to Stop Gaza Fighting
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Hashim Sheikh - . May 4, 2024
- . Update: May 6, 2024 11:54 am
CIA Director Burns is in Cairo right now. He is there to help with important talks about trying to get a ceasefire (temporary stop to fighting) in Gaza. He is also working on a deal to free hostages that Hamas is holding.
Hamas Controls Gaza
Hamas is a Palestinian group that controls the Gaza Strip. They have been fighting against Israel. Hamas has taken some Israelis as hostages during the fighting.
Egypt Proposed a Deal
Egypt has proposed a deal to Hamas and Israel. The deal says that Hamas must free up to 33 Israeli hostages they have captured. In exchange, Israel would temporarily stop attacking Gaza for a period of time. This would be a ceasefire.
The U.S. Wants the Deal
American officials really want Hamas to accept this deal that Egypt proposed. They think it is very generous to Hamas. The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the deal is “very generous.” However, the leader of Hamas named Yahya Sinwar needs to agree to it first.
Hamas Sending People to Cairo
On Friday, Hamas said they will send some of their people to Cairo on Saturday. Hamas said they have a “positive spirit” about discussing Egypt’s proposed deal further. But Hamas did not say they changed their demands at all.
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Temporary Pause Could Help
American officials think this deal is the best chance to stop the violence in Gaza, at least temporarily. They hope if the fighting stops for a while, it could lead to a longer ceasefire eventually. The U.S. government also hopes the deal could calm protests on American college campuses against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
Israel Might Attack Rafah
But if the deal is not accepted, Israel says it is prepared to invade Rafah, a city in Gaza where over 1 million Palestinians live. Even if the deal happens, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu says they might still attack Rafah to try to defeat Hamas completely.
