Phased truce taking shape - diplomats

Occupied Jerusalem: An Egyptian proposal to end the war in Gaza centres on a phased-in ceasefire, starting with a lull to let in aid, followed by the pullout of Israeli forces and the reopening of border crossings, diplomats said.

But Western and UN diplomats close to the negotiations said Israel and Hamas were still at odds over some of the fine print.

The main sticking points were how long a proposed truce would last, and how quickly Israel would complete its withdrawal and reopen the crossings, the diplomats said, describing the Egyptian proposal as an evolving work in progress.

European diplomats said Turkey was one of the few countries that appeared willing to send monitors to the border if an agreement between Egypt and Israel can be reached. But Israel and Hamas have sent mixed messages about whether they would accept such a truce "verification" mission. "The devil is in the details," one of the Western diplomats said, noting that even if Israel and Hamas agreed to the ceasefire, disputes could emerge between the phases of implementation and reignite the conflict.