Hamas officials were in Egypt on Monday ahead of talks with Israel that the United States (US) hopes will lead to a halt in fighting and the freeing of hostages in Gaza. Israeli negotiators were also due to travel to Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh later in the day for talks about freeing hostages, part of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war.
However, Israel’s Chief Negotiator, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, himself was only expected to join later this week, pending developments in the negotiations, according to three Israeli officials. Spokespeople for Dermer and the prime minister did not immediately comment.
“We will know very quickly whether Hamas is serious or not by how these technical talks go in terms of the logistics,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
Trump was optimistic. “I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” he said in a social media post. The first phase deals with the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. There are 48 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 of whom are alive. A Hamas delegation, led by the group’s exiled Gaza chief, KhalilAl-Hayya, landed in Egypt late on Sunday to join representatives of the US and Qatar for talks over the implementation of the most advanced effort yet to halt the conflict.
It was the first visit by Hayya to Egypt since he survived an Israeli strike in Doha, the Qatari capital, last month. Trump has promoted a 20-point plan aimed at ending the fighting in Gaza, securing the release of remaining hostages, and defining the territory’s future. Israel and Hamas have agreed to parts of the plan.
Hamas on Friday accepted the hostage release and several other elements but sidestepped contentious points, including calls for its disarmament” which it has long rejected.
Trump welcomed Hamas’ response and told Israel to stop bombing Gaza, but its attacks have continued.
An official briefed on the talks in Egypt said negotiators would focus on hammering out a comprehensive deal before a cease fire can be implemented.
“This differs from earlier rounds of negotiations which followed a phased approach, where the first phase was agreed and then required more negotiations to reach subsequent phases in the ceasefire,” the official told Reuters.
“These subsequent rounds of negotiations is where things broke down previously and there is a conscious effort among mediators to avoid that approach this time around.”
–Reuters–
