SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT: Delegations from Hamas, Israel, and the United States are set to convene in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh today for crucial negotiations, with US President Donald Trump pressing all parties to “move fast” to finalize a deal that would end the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
The high-stakes meeting comes on the eve of the second anniversary of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the devastating conflict.
Both Hamas and Israel have reportedly responded positively to a new roadmap proposed by Mr. Trump to conclude the fighting. The plan centers on a hostage release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, though the precise details of the exchange remain to be ironed out.
A senior Hamas official confirmed to AFP that the group is “very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions.” Similarly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope that the hostages could be released “within days.”
President Trump, who has been directly involved in the diplomatic push, used his Truth Social platform yesterday to urge swift progress. He stated that discussions had been “very positive” and were “proceeding rapidly,” adding: “The first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST.”
Mr. Trump has dispatched two key emissaries, his special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, to assist in finalizing the agreement. Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Egypt late yesterday, and the Israeli delegation is scheduled to depart for Egypt today, according to a statement from Mr. Netanyahu.
After months of stalled mediation efforts involving the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, the current diplomatic push has generated significant international optimism. Foreign ministers from several countries released a joint statement describing the negotiations as a “real opportunity” for achieving a sustainable ceasefire.
However, the talks are taking place against a backdrop of continued violence. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had urged Israel on Sunday to stop bombing Gaza ahead of the discussions, stating, “you can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes.” According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, Israeli attacks on Sunday killed at least 20 people across the territory.
Cairo has indicated that the current round of talks will focus on laying the “ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners.”
Proposed Hostage-Prisoner Exchange Details
The core of the US plan involves a reciprocal exchange:
- Hostages Released: The plan calls for the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, both living and dead, within 72 hours of a ceasefire. Palestinian militants seized 251 hostages on 7 October, with 47 still in Gaza (25 of whom the Israeli military states are deceased). Ā
- Prisoners Freed: In return, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, alongside more than 1,700 detainees from Gaza arrested during the war. Ā
A Palestinian source close to Hamas indicated that the militant group’s fighters are ready to “halt their military operations” once Israel ceases its own.
The plan outlines a multi-stage approach for ending the conflict and rebuilding the territory. Mr. Trump said that once the initial exchange is complete, “we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal.”
The plan’s subsequent steps include a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas. Disarmament has been a “red line” for Hamas, which has also insisted it should have a role in the territory’s future.
Crucially, the Trump proposal stipulates that Hamas and other militant factions “not have any role in the governance of Gaza.” Instead, the administration of the territory would be managed by a technocratic body overseen by a post-war transitional authority. This authority, according to the proposal, would be headed by Mr. Trump himself and would include former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
