Palestinian official: Gaza ceasefire talks are 90% complete

On December 22, a senior Palestinian official involved in the negotiations said that the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on a ceasefire and the exchange of detainees in the Gaza Strip are 90% complete, but there are still some key issues to be resolved. The official said that one of the main sticking points is the issue of Israeli troops stationed in the "Philadelphia Corridor" on the border between Gaza and Egypt. In addition, the relevant parties are also discussing the establishment of a several-kilometer-wide buffer zone on the border between Israel and Gaza, where Israel will maintain troops. If these outstanding issues are resolved, the relevant parties will reach a three-phase ceasefire agreement within days, the official said.