Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo for ceasefire talks

Palestinians check the damage in the aftermath of Israeli bombing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. Pic/AFP

A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian media reported progress in the ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel, as well as the release of Israeli hostages. CIA director, William Burns, will supervise the indirect mediatory talks.

According to sources in the Israel Defense Ministry, Hamas informed Qatar and Egyptian mediators that it can release 20 Israeli hostages, including women, the elderly, and the sick. Israel had earlier proposed release of 33 of its hostages held in exchange for around 600 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already informed mediators that the Israeli army would invade Rafah region of the Gaza Strip, where one million Palestinians have fled by next Friday if the mediatory talks did not move forward. Israel briefed Biden administration officials on plans to evacuate civilians ahead of the Rafah operation.

A senior Israeli official played down the prospects to end the war, saying Israel would not agree to the proposal in exchange for hostages. Air strikes on Gaza killed at least six people on Saturday.

Cease-fire proposal

Egyptian mediators proposed a three-stage process that would bring an immediate, six-week cease-fire and partial release of Israeli hostages, and would include some sort of Israeli pullout. The initial stage would last for 40 days. Hamas would start by releasing female civilian hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Insiders say both Hamas and Israel had informally accepted this.

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