Israeli delegation heads to Egypt for Gaza ceasefire talks

Israeli media reports that an Israeli delegation will travel to Egypt to meet with Egyptian security officials for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza

Israeli media reported on Monday that an Israeli delegation is to travel to Egypt to hold talks with Egyptian security officials in an effort to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.

The delegation, which will not include senior security officials, will focus on discussing Hamas’ demand for a comprehensive cease-fire in Gaza as part of a possible prisoner swap deal, according to Haaretz.

Hamas insists on full cease-fire

Haaretz cited an anonymous Israeli official saying, “It is unclear whether Hamas will accept the proposal or whether it will put up obstacles as it has in the past.”

Hamas insists on a full cease-fire in Gaza, while Israeli government representatives, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, oppose it and advocate continued operations targeting the southern Gaza town of Rafah, home to more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.

Israel is prepared to postpone any military action against Rafah for several months as part of the first phase of the agreement, during which time a large number of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza will be released, the official added.

Haaretz noted that Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages, including women, female soldiers, the elderly and the wounded.

Israel agreed to allow the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, the redeployment of its forces in the area and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, including those convicted of killing Israelis.

A new proposal?

Egypt on Monday confirmed the existence of a new proposal for a ceasefire in the blockaded Gaza Strip, as announced by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry during the World Economic Forum meeting in Saudi Arabia.

Hamas reportedly holds more than 130 Israeli hostages, while Israel holds more than 9,100 Palestinians in its prisons.

Hamas is demanding an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory as a precondition for any hostage-prisoner swap deal with Tel Aviv.

The previous swap deal in November 2023 resulted in the release of 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners in exchange for 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children.

Since Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7 last year, Israel has launched a heavy assault on Gaza, claiming around 1,200 lives by Tel Aviv’s count.

Some 34,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and more than 77,600 wounded in the fighting.

After more than six months of Israeli military action, large areas of Gaza have been left in ruins and, according to U.N. reports, 85% of the territory’s population has been forced to migrate internally due to the blockade, which restricts access to food, clean water and medicine.

Israel faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January obliged Tel Aviv to end its genocidal actions and provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

Source: AA