Israel and Hamas prepare for talks in Egypt over possible Gaza ceasefire
Israeli and Hamas officials are meeting in an Egyptian resort on Monday in the hopes of hammering out a potential ceasefire in Gaza on the eve of the devastating war’s second anniversary.
The indirect negotiations will take place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where the Israeli delegation, headed by top negotiator Ron Dermer, is set to arrive on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
Hamas’s delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayyah, arrived on Sunday in Egypt, the group said in a statement.
It said the negotiations will focus on the first stage of a ceasefire, including the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces as well as the release of hostages held by the militants in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are also expected to join the talks, Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram reported.
This latest push for peace comes after Hamas accepted some elements of the US peace plan, a move welcomed by Mr Trump.
Israel has said it supports the new US effort.
Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages – about 20 of whom are believed to be alive – within three days.
It would give up power and disarm.
The talks in Egypt are expected to move quickly as Mr Netanyahu said they would be “confined to a few days maximum”, though some Hamas officials have warned more time may be needed to locate bodies of hostages buried under rubble.
Israel’s heavy bombardment of Gaza would need to stop for Israeli hostages to be released.
Israel says it is largely heeding Mr Trump’s call for ending the bombing.
The Israeli military said it is mostly carrying out defensive strikes to protect troops, though dozens of Palestinians have been killed since Saturday night when the military made the announcement.
The Israeli military said on Monday that it eliminated “a terrorist cell armed with explosive devices and mortars” that on Sunday intended to attack Israeli soldiers.
It also destroyed another “terrorist cell” that launched a mortar injuring one soldier, as well as a structure from where an anti-tack missile was launched against Israeli army engineering machinery.
Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200 mostly civilians in the October 7 2023 attack that triggered the war.
Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefire or other deals.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the war reached 67,139 on Sunday, with nearly 170,000 injured.
The ministry does not differentiate how many of those killed were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up about half of the dead.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
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