Israel, Egypt and the United States are holding talks in Cairo

Israel, Egypt and the United States are holding talks in Cairo tonight (Thursday) to try to reach an agreement on security arrangements on the Philadelphia axis of the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, as well as on the Rafah crossing, according to US and Israeli officials.

According to the Hebrew Walla website, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand for the continued deployment of Israeli troops along the Philadelphia axis has become one of the main and final points of contention in reaching an agreement to release the kidnappers.

US President Joe Biden told Netanyahu in a phone call yesterday that he hopes Israel will remain flexible on the issue and remove the final obstacles to a deal at the Cairo talks.

A US official said: “President Biden was tough on Bibi in a phone call last night.

Shin Bet Chairman Ronan Bar, Mossad Chairman Dadi Baniya and the head of the Israeli army’s strategic department, Eliezer Toledano, traveled to Egypt today to represent Israel at the talks in Cairo.

Brett McGurk, President Biden’s senior Middle East adviser, represented the United States, while the Egyptian side was led by Abbas Kamel, director of the Egyptian Intelligence Agency.

Sources familiar with the details said the Israeli side will provide an updated map representing Israel’s official and final position on the deployment of Israeli troops along the Philadelphia axis.