Hamas delegation heads to Cairo for cease-fire talks

Representatives from Hamas will travel to Cairo on Saturday to meet with Egyptian officials for discussions on a potential cease-fire and a prisoner exchange in Gaza, according to a spokesperson for the Palestinian resistance group.

“A Hamas delegation will meet Egyptian officials in Cairo tomorrow to discuss possible terms for a cease-fire and a prisoner accord in Gaza,” the official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks, said.

The announcement follows the implementation of a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese group allied with Hamas, two days ago.

The U.S. has also initiated a new diplomatic push involving Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt to negotiate a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, which sparked the current conflict.

The October 7 attack left 1,207 people dead, most of them civilians. In response, Israel’s military offensive has resulted in 44,363 deaths in Gaza, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry, which the U.N. deems reliable.

A total of 251 hostages were taken during the attack, and 97 are believed to still be held in Gaza, including 34 who the Israeli army reports as dead.

A brief cease-fire in November 2023 allowed for the release of about 100 hostages by Hamas in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Despite several attempts throughout the year by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, efforts to broker a lasting cease-fire and secure the release of additional hostages have been unsuccessful.