Hamas on Sunday called for an immediate start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel, as negotiators from both sides prepared to meet in Egypt for critical talks aimed at ending the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza.
Foreign ministers from several countries, including Egypt, described the upcoming discussions as a “real opportunity” to achieve a sustainable ceasefire.
“Hamas is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process under the existing field conditions,” a senior Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The diplomatic push follows Hamas’s positive response to US President Donald Trump’s roadmap, which proposes ending hostilities and arranging a prisoner swap between Palestinians in Israeli jails and hostages held in Gaza.
Ahead of the talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Israel to halt its military strikes in Gaza. “You can’t release hostages in the middle of attacks, so the strikes will have to stop,” Rubio told CBS. “There can’t be a war going on in the middle of it.”
Negotiators are scheduled to gather at the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing hope that hostages could be released within days. The Israeli delegation is set to depart for Egypt on Monday, coinciding with the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war.
Cairo confirmed it would host a Hamas delegation to discuss “the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners.” The White House also sent two envoys: Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
A Palestinian source close to Hamas stated that the group insisted Israel halt all military operations across Gaza, including air, reconnaissance, and drone activity, and withdraw from Gaza City. Hamas pledged to suspend its own military operations in parallel.
During the October 7 attack in 2023, Hamas seized 251 hostages, of whom 47 remain in Gaza. According to the Israeli military, 25 of these hostages are confirmed dead. Under Trump’s plan, Israel would release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and over 1,700 detainees from Gaza arrested during the conflict.
Continued Strikes Amid Negotiations
Despite diplomatic efforts, Israeli strikes continued on Sunday. Gaza’s civil defense agency reported at least 20 fatalities, including 13 in Gaza City. Thick smoke was seen rising over the territory, according to AFP footage.
“There has been a noticeable decrease in airstrikes since last night. Tanks and military vehicles have slightly pulled back, but I believe this is a tactical move, not a withdrawal,” said Muin Abu Rajab, a resident of Al-Rimal neighborhood.
Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, Israeli military chief, warned that if negotiations fail, the army could resume its offensive. Meanwhile, Hamas emphasized that it should have a role in Gaza’s future, despite the US roadmap stipulating that the group and other factions “not have any role in governance.”
Trump’s plan, endorsed by Netanyahu, calls for hostilities to cease, hostages to be released within 72 hours, a gradual Israeli withdrawal, and Hamas disarmament—a red line the group has consistently highlighted in the past. Administration of Gaza would fall to a technocratic body under a post-war transitional authority led by Trump.
Residents in Gaza expressed hope for a swift resolution. “We want the prisoner exchange deal completed quickly so Israel has no excuse to continue the war,” said Ahmad Barbakh, from the Al-Mawasi area.
The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack left 1,219 people dead, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures tallied by AFP. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 67,139 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, a figure considered reliable by the United Nations.