The delegations of Israel and Hamas began indirect negotiations in Egypt Monday on a plan supported by US President Donald Trump to end the Gaza War, faced with thorny questions such as the military withdrawal of Israel and the disarmament of Hamas.
Israel and Hamas have approved the main principles of Trump’s proposal, which is considering a cease-fire, hostage outings and massive humanitarian aid in Gaza-the nearest two parties came to stop the conflict. The plan is also supported by the Arab and Western states.
Trump has exhorted rapid progress to a final agreement, calling “closest to date” talks to end the war.
“ Moving quickly ”, says Trump
“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I ask everyone to move quickly,” wrote Trump in an article on social networks.
Despite the urgency push, the two parties are looking for clarifications on key details – including the guarantees that have derailed past peace efforts.
Trump asked Israel to suspend his bombing of Gaza during talks. Residents reported a reduction in air strikes, but not a complete stop.
Gaza health authorities said 19 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours – around a third of the recent daily average during the intense offensive of Israel in the city of Gaza.
Delegations arrive in Egypt
Egyptian state television has confirmed that indirect negotiations had started in the seaside resort of the Red Sea of Sharm El-Sheikh.
The talks coincide with the second anniversary of the October 7 attack in Hamas, in which activists killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages – the deadliest day for the Jews since the Holocaust.
Israel’s reprisal campaign killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, leaving most of the 2.2 million residents of Gaza and hungry, in the midst of general destruction.
Egyptian sources have declared that Hamas was looking for guarantees that Israel would withdraw its Gaza troops once the group will release its hostages, ensuring that Israel will not return once the lever is lost.
Curity on the breakthrough
N Gaza, civilians say that a ceasefire is their last hope of survival.
“If there is an agreement, then we survive. If it is not the case, it is as if we had been sentenced to death,” said Gharam Mohammad, 20, moved in the center of Gaza.
In Israel, the public pressure to put an end to the war and bring the hostages back to the house developed, although the members of the right -wing cabinet oppose the end of the fighting.
An informed official of negotiations said that the current round could take several days, while others have warned the deadline for 72 hours of Trump to return all the hostages was not realistic – in particular for the recovery of the bodies of the battle areas.
A Palestinian official close to talks expressed skepticism, citing deep mistrust. “Hamas and other factions fear that Israel abandons talks once it has recovered the hostages,” he said.
Negotiators and snacks
The Israeli delegation includes managers of Mossad and Shin Bet, as well as the advisor to Netanyahu, Ophir Falk and the hostage coordinator, Gal Hirsch. The Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, the head negotiator of Israel, is expected to join later in the week, Israeli officials said.
The delegation of Hamas is led by Khalil Al-Hayya, the exiled Gaza chief of the group, who survived an Israeli air strike in Doha last month who killed his son.
Hamas said that it would ask for the clarity of the motion mechanism for hostage prisoners, the military withdrawal of Israel and a permanent ceasefire.
A major point of snack remains the Israelis and the United States require that Hamas disarm. A source from Hamas told Reuters that the group will not disarm less than Israel ends its occupation and recognizes a Palestinian state.
On Monday, Israel expelled dozens of activists detained from a flotilla attempting to help Gaza – including Swedish activist from the Climate Greta Thunberg.
