Israel, Hamas begin Egypt talks aimed at ending Gaza war and freeing hostages

Indirect negotiations between Israeli and Hamas delegations began in the afternoon of October 6 in Egypt, according to Reuters, which cited informed sources. Both delegations arrived in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh earlier in the day.

Sources close to the process said Egyptian and Qatari mediators are facilitating discussions between the sides to develop a mechanism for the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The agenda also includes setting the conditions for the exchange, achieving a lasting ceasefire, and determining the extent of Israel’s potential withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas delegation is led by senior official Khalil al-Hayei, who arrived in Egypt on Sunday, October 5, ahead of the talks.

The United States reportedly views this round of negotiations as a critical opportunity to bring the war in Gaza to an end. The discussions are expected to touch on highly sensitive issues, including the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave and the disarmament of Hamas.

Both parties have reaffirmed their commitment to the general framework of a peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the release of hostages, and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The plan has received support from a wide coalition of Arab and Western nations.

Washington first presented its proposal to end the Israel–Hamas conflict in late September. According to the document, Hamas must release all Israeli hostages within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance of the agreement. This step would follow a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

In exchange, Israel would release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Once these conditions are met, Hamas members would be required to surrender their weapons in exchange for amnesty and safe passage out of Gaza. The group would relinquish any role in governing the enclave, while Israel would commit to renouncing occupation or annexation of the territory.

The plan has been endorsed by several states, including Israel. On October 3, Hamas announced its agreement to release all surviving Israeli hostages and hand over the bodies of those killed, while transferring the administration of the Gaza Strip to a newly formed Palestinian committee.

Following Hamas’s declaration, President Donald Trump urged Israel to immediately halt its airstrikes to enable the “swift and safe release of the hostages.” The next day, on October 4, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) placed their units on alert to begin the first phase of Trump’s proposed hostage release initiative.

By Tamilla Hasanova