Let’s just call this a difference of opinion. Egyptian, Qatari, and US officials involved in negotiations for hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza thought talk had taken a productive turn. Late this morning, the Washington Post relied on those sources to proclaim that the talks in Cairo “show progress,” at least from their perspective:
Talks over a possible deal on a pause in fighting in Gaza and the release of remaining Israeli hostages pushed forward on Wednesday in Cairo, with Egyptian negotiators signaling optimism about an agreement even as others involved warned the two sides still remained far apart on key aspects. …
The discussions, which began Tuesday and were expected to be held over three days, are focused on a framework that would pause fighting for six weeks. CIA Director William J. Burns met with Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah…
