Talks over an Israeli pullback from the Gaza-Egypt border

An urban landscape, dominated by a barrier.

Israel and Egypt have privately discussed a possible withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza’s border with Egypt, officials said. That could remove one of the main obstacles to a cease-fire deal with Hamas after more than nine months of war in the Gaza Strip.

Negotiations for a truce appear to have gained momentum in recent days, but points of contention remain. One involves the length of a cease-fire: Hamas is demanding that it be permanent, while Israel wants a temporary one. Hamas has also called for an Israeli withdrawal from areas that include the Egypt-Gaza border.

Context: The Israeli military took control of Gaza’s southern border over May and June, forcing Hamas away from a strategically important axis through which it had smuggled arms and supplies into Gaza. The seizure has also strained Israel’s ties with Egypt.

Related: China will host senior Palestinian officials from Hamas and Fatah for a meeting next week to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip.

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