Daijiworld Media Network – Cairo
Cairo, Oct 6: Hamas on Sunday called for an immediate start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel, as negotiators from both sides arrived in Egypt for critical talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war in Gaza. The diplomatic effort follows a roadmap proposed by US President Donald Trump, which seeks the release of hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said, “There have been very positive discussions with Hamas… to release the hostages, end the war in Gaza, and finally have long sought peace in the Middle East. The first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to move fast.”
Negotiations underway
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his delegation would depart for Egypt on Monday for talks coinciding with the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya also arrived in Egypt leading the Palestinian delegation. The White House dispatched Jared Kushner and Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff as US envoys.
Hamas has stressed that Israel must halt military operations, air strikes, and drone activity, and withdraw from Gaza City, while the group would pause its own operations in parallel. The Palestinian faction still holds 47 hostages, with Israel reporting 25 deaths among them. In return, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and more than 1,700 detainees from Gaza.
Tensions persist amid talks
Despite the diplomatic push, Israeli strikes continued on Sunday, killing at least 20 people across Gaza, including 13 in Gaza City. Residents noted a slight decrease in attacks but described it as a tactical pullback rather than a withdrawal.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Israel to pause strikes, saying, “You can't release hostages in the middle of strikes… there can’t be a war going on in the middle of it.” Meanwhile, Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned that the military could resume full-scale operations if negotiations fail.
Key challenges
Trump’s plan, endorsed by Netanyahu, stipulates a ceasefire, hostage release within 72 hours, gradual Israeli withdrawal, and Hamas disarmament, with governance of Gaza transferred to a technocratic post-war authority headed by Trump. Hamas has insisted on a say in Gaza’s future, marking a major sticking point.
The conflict’s toll remains staggering: Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, while Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 67,139 Palestinians, according to UN-verified health ministry figures.
The Egyptian talks are now seen as a critical opportunity to achieve a sustainable ceasefire and begin the sensitive prisoner exchange process.