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Destroyed buildings can be seen during an Israeli attack on a refugee camp in northern Gaza on April 26, 2024.
CNN
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As negotiators met in Cairo on Saturday, U.S. and Israeli officials said they could reach an agreement on a framework that combines a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, and then begin negotiations over the details of the deal. It is likely that this will continue.
Negotiations of a final agreement between the parties are expected to take several more days. Negotiators are making progress on the technical aspects of a potential deal, but two Israeli sources said it could take a week to finalize the deal itself.
U.S. officials echoed this point on Saturday, saying that even if Hamas were to accept the deal as proposed, it would take several more days to iron out the details that would ultimately lead to a ceasefire. These discussions can be difficult and lengthy. U.S. officials remain cautiously optimistic about the talks, accounting for progress but mindful of the last-minute collapse of previous efforts.
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A woman looks at photos of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip on May 1, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Mossad chief David Barnea remained in Israel while Hamas met with mediators in Cairo on Saturday. But Israeli officials said he could head to Egypt immediately if Hamas agrees to a framework.
CIA Director Bill Burns, who has served as an important interlocutor for the United States in multiparty talks, is in Cairo, according to sources.
CNN has reached out to other mediators in the negotiations.
CNN’s MJ Lee, Alex Marquardt, Kareem Khadder, Mostafa Salem and Eve Brennan contributed to this report.
