Hommam Al Nassim 
Egyptian media reported today, Saturday, that a tripartite meeting between Egypt, the United States, and Israel will be held tomorrow, Sunday, in Cairo, to discuss restarting the Rafah crossing.
Cairo News TV, quoting the source who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that Cairo confirmed to all parties its firm position not to open the Rafah crossing as long as Israeli control over the Palestinian side of it remains.
The source added that Cairo is making intensive efforts to resume truce negotiations in Gaza in light of the recent proposal by US President Joe Biden.
President Biden announced in a speech yesterday that Israel had presented a three-stage proposal to end the war in Gaza.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Saturday that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will not be achieved until the military and leadership capabilities of the Hamas movement are eliminated.
In a statement posted online, Netanyahu said: “Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed, which are eliminating Hamas’ military and leadership capabilities, releasing all detainees, and ensuring that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel.”
He added, “Israel will remain determined to achieve these conditions before reaching a permanent ceasefire.” The idea that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are met is not on the table.”
For its part, Hamas expressed in a statement yesterday its positive outlook towards President Biden’s speech, which included a proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
As for the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, it expressed in a statement today its “doubt” towards Biden’s proposal, but it confirmed that it will evaluate any proposal in a way that guarantees stopping the war of genocide against the Palestinian people, meets their interests, preserves their rights, and meets the demands of the resistance forces.
In a related context, the Palestinian News Agency reported on Saturday that the Palestinian leadership stressed the necessity of handing over and opening all crossings with the Gaza Strip to the National Authority headquartered in Ramallah and demanded that the Israeli attack on Gaza be stopped.
The Palestinian leadership stressed “the necessity of stopping the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and all lands of the State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine, immediately and permanently, including stopping the attacks of the occupation forces and settlers on the Palestinian people and their sanctities in the West Bank and Jerusalem.”
The agency added that the Palestinian leadership stressed the necessity of withdrawing Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and handing over and opening all crossings with the Strip to the Authority in accordance with the signed agreements, including the crossings agreement of 2005, which allows the regular arrival of relief aid and all needs to the Gaza Strip.
Egypt pays $1.2 billion to the foreign oil companies