Politics took center stage on the airwaves last night, as the nation’s talking heads brought us the latest on the Hamas-Israel ceasefire negotiations currently underway in Cairo.

This latest round of talks had an “overall positive atmosphere,” political science professor at Al Quds University Ayman Al Raqab told Kelma Akhira’s Lamees El Hadidi (watch, runtime: 6:49). The talks centered around a 45-day truce in exchange for the release of 500 Palestinians and 30 Israeli hostages, he clarified.

Where things currently stand: “The Israeli delegation returned to Tel Aviv to inform its leaders of the results of the meeting and is scheduled to return to Cairo later today to complete the negotiations. Meanwhile a delegation from the Palestinian factions arrived at Cairo to discuss new provisions,” Al Raqab explained. Israel’s threat to invade Rafah is a pressure tactic to force the Palestinian delegation to make more concessions, he added.

An immediate ceasefire looks possible — a sustainable one, less so: It is expected that the first phase of an imminent ceasefire agreement will come into force within the next ten days, Al Raqab said. He believes that Israel wants shorter, separate truces as opposed to a long, unbroken pause in fighting.

The negotiations got heavy coverage from Ala Masouleety (watch, runtime: 32:38), Yahduth Fi Masr (watch, runtime: 36:75 | 4:09), Al Hayat Al Youm (watch, runtime: 19:48 | 6:03), and Masa’a DMC (watch, runtime: 7:30 | 4:46).

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