Hamas keen on ‘swiftly’ returning to Gaza ceasefire talks: Egyptian source

CAIRO/ISTANBUL

The Palestinian group Hamas is keen on “swiftly” returning to ceasefire talks to end Israel’s war on Gaza, an Egyptian source said on Wednesday.

The state-affiliated Al-Qahera News channel, citing the source, said a Hamas delegation held talks in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad to discuss ways to advance de-escalation efforts in Gaza.

“Egypt is intensifying its contacts with all parties to reach a truce in preparation for ending the war,” the source said.

Hamas “affirmed its commitment to quickly returning to ceasefire and de-escalation negotiations and praised Egypt’s efforts to deliver aid into Gaza and assist its residents,” he added.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for talks with Egyptian officials, after Israel’s Security Cabinet last week approved a plan to fully reoccupy the Gaza Strip.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Tuesday that the talks focus on reviving a 60-day Gaza ceasefire proposal.

According to Israeli media, the proposal suggests a 60-day ceasefire, during which 10 living Israeli hostages will be released in two phases, and the bodies of 18 hostages will be handed over in three phases, in exchange for some Palestinian prisoners and the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

Tel Aviv estimates that 50 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, 20 of them alive, while more than 10,800 Palestinians are held in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect that has claimed many lives, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

Israel withdrew from indirect talks with Hamas last month after Tel Aviv refused to commit to pulling out troops from Gaza, ending the war, releasing Palestinian prisoners, and agreeing on a mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid.

Hamas has repeatedly declared its readiness to release all Israeli captives “in one batch” in exchange for ending the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Israel is facing mounting condemnation for its genocidal war on Gaza, where it has killed more than 61,700 victims since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.