US rejects Israeli proposal to set up inspection mechanism at Netzarim Junction in Gaza: Report

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - The US has rejected an Israeli proposal to establish an inspection mechanism at the Netzarim Junction in central Gaza, the Israeli media reported on Saturday.

The mechanism was intended to screen individuals returning to northern Gaza as part of a potential cease-fire and prisoner exchange deal.

The report, aired by Israel's Channel 12, stated that "significant obstacles" still stand in the way of reaching an agreement.

The report noted that Israel remains adamant about maintaining a presence in the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border and at the Netzarim Junction near Gaza City, which separates the northern and southern parts of the strip.

The report said: "The Americans sent a clear message to Israel that they would not accept this condition and that this option is off the table."

According to the channel: “The Americans hope to hold another summit at the end of next week to finalize the deal’s details."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel on Saturday to continue efforts to conclude a cease-fire deal that includes an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

The visit comes after the US, Egypt and Qatar announced Friday that they had presented Israel and Hamas with what they called a "bridging proposal" to further narrow "remaining gaps in the manner that allows for a swift implementation of the deal."

Hamas has refused to participate in the latest discussions, demanding that Tel Aviv stick to the agreements it made in July based on a proposal supported by US President Biden two months ago, according to media reports.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel's began it onslaught in Gaza last October, the vast majority of them women and children.

Vast tracts of the coastal territory have been completely leveled amid relentless Israeli bombardment.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi