Hamas and Israel Begin Peace Negotiations in Egypt Under Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

Hamas and Israeli delegations commenced indirect peace negotiations in Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, aiming to end the nearly two-year Gaza conflict under a proposal presented by US President Donald Trump.

Al-Qahera News, affiliated with Egyptian state intelligence, reported that the discussions are focused on "preparing ground conditions for the release of detainees and prisoners." Egyptian and Qatari mediators are working to establish a mechanism for exchanging hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

These closed-door talks are proceeding under heavy security, with mediators shuttling between parties just weeks after Israel's attempted strike on Hamas negotiators in Qatar.

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas's lead negotiator who survived last month's Israeli attack on Palestinian Islamist leadership in Doha, met with Egyptian intelligence officials prior to the negotiations, according to an Egyptian security source.

A Palestinian source close to Hamas leadership indicated these talks, launched near the second anniversary of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, "may last for several days." The source told AFP, "We expect the negotiations to be difficult and complex, given the occupation's intentions to continue its war of extermination."

Trump, whose envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected in Egypt, has urged negotiators to "move fast" in ending the Gaza conflict, where Israeli strikes continued Monday.

At least seven Palestinians were killed in the latest Israeli airstrikes, according to Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for Gaza's civil defence agency. AFP footage captured explosions in Gaza, with smoke plumes rising over the skyline, even after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Israel must cease bombing the territory.

Both Hamas and Israel have responded favorably to Trump's proposal, though reaching agreement on specifics presents significant challenges. The plan envisions Hamas disarmament, which the militant group likely won't accept. It also outlines gradual Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to maintain forces "deep inside" the territory while securing hostage releases.

According to the Palestinian source, the initial hostage-prisoner exchange will "require several days, depending on field conditions related to Israeli withdrawals, the cessation of bombardment and the suspension of all types of air operations."

Previous negotiation rounds stalled over disagreements regarding which Palestinian prisoners would be released. Current talks aim to "determine the date of a temporary truce," according to a Hamas official, and establish conditions for the first phase releasing 47 Gaza hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

Mirjana Spoljaric, International Committee of the Red Cross head, stated their teams stand ready "to help bring hostages and detainees back to their families." The ICRC emphasized that aid access must resume "at full capacity" and be safely distributed across Gaza, where the UN has declared famine conditions.

For Gazans, exhausted and displaced, hope remains minimal despite renewed peace efforts. "The war has destroyed everything I built throughout my life," said Mohammed Abu Sultan, 49, who fled Gaza City with 20 family members to Nuseirat camp. "We have been running from death for two years."

Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Sunday praising "positive discussions with Hamas" and global allies, including Arab and Muslim nations. "I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST," he wrote.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi endorsed Trump's plan Monday, calling it "the right path to lasting peace and stability." A Palestinian source close to Hamas indicated the group would cease military operations in parallel with Israel stopping bombardments and withdrawing troops from Gaza City.

However, Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir warned that if negotiations failed, the military would "return to fighting" in Gaza.

Militants captured 251 hostages during their October 2023 attack, with 47 still in Gaza. Israeli military officials say 25 of those remaining are deceased.

Under Trump's proposal, Israel would release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and over 1,700 Gaza detainees in exchange for the hostages.

Hamas insists on having a voice in Gaza's future governance, though Trump's roadmap specifies that Hamas and other factions "not have any role in the governance of Gaza." The plan calls for territory administration by a technocratic body overseen by a transitional authority headed by Trump himself.

"We hope Trump will pressure Netanyahu and force him to stop the war," said Ahmad Barbakh from Al-Mawasi area. "We want the prisoner exchange deal to be completed quickly so that Israel has no excuse to continue the war."

The October 2023 Hamas attack resulted in 1,219 deaths, primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians, based on Hamas-run health ministry figures that the United Nations considers reliable.