Israeli and Hamas negotiators are set to meet in Cairo on Sunday for crucial talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war in Gaza, amid renewed hopes for a breakthrough following Hamas’ acceptance of U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire and prisoner-exchange roadmap.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed he had dispatched negotiators “to finalise the technical details” of the agreement, while Egypt announced that it would host delegations from both sides to discuss “the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners.”
The talks, taking place just days before the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack, are being mediated by Egypt and supported by the United States. The White House said Trump had sent senior envoys, Jared Kushner and Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff, to oversee discussions.
Trump warned Hamas against delays, saying he would “not tolerate” any stalling in the peace process. “When Hamas confirms, the ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective,” Trump posted on Truth Social, sharing a map of a proposed Israeli withdrawal line in Gaza.
Netanyahu, in a televised address, said he was optimistic that “in the coming days we will be able to bring back all our hostages… during the Sukkot holidays,” while stressing that “Hamas will be disarmed… either diplomatically via Trump’s plan or militarily by us.”
Despite these diplomatic developments, Israeli airstrikes continued on Sunday, with Gaza’s civil defence agency reporting at least five deaths in Gaza City following overnight bombardments. The agency said nearly 60 people were killed on Saturday, including 40 in Gaza City alone.
Residents in the city reported intensified shelling despite Trump’s call for a temporary halt. “Israel has actually escalated its attacks since Trump’s announcement,” said Mahmud al-Ghazi, a resident of Al-Rimal.
Hamas, while accepting the proposed exchange deal, has insisted it should have a say in Gaza’s post-war governance. However, Trump’s roadmap excludes Hamas from any governing role, proposing that a technocratic body administer the territory under a transitional authority overseen by Trump himself.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures, while Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 67,074 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
What you should know
The Cairo talks mark the first major diplomatic progress in months toward ending the Gaza war, with U.S. President Donald Trump’s direct involvement giving the process new urgency.
Both sides face mounting international pressure to halt hostilities and secure the release of captives after nearly two years of devastating conflict.
