CAIRO, Egypt: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Tuesday that “significant progress” had been made in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations aimed at ending the war in Gaza, as Israel and Hamas held indirect talks in Egypt under international mediation.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Slovenian counterpart, Abdelatty said the talks are focused on developing a mechanism to ensure the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid.
“There has been significant progress,” he stated, expressing optimism that the current round of discussions could lead to an end to both the conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed Monday in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, centered on advancing US President Donald Trump’s proposed ceasefire plan.
According to Abdelatty, the discussions aim to establish guarantees for Israel’s full exit from Gaza and the entry of humanitarian assistance through UN-monitored channels.
He also stressed that the talks are intended to pave the way for a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution and the full unification of Palestinian governance across the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian foreign minister welcomed US President Donald Trump’s initiative, calling for the launch of a political process that builds on the current diplomatic momentum to establish an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan, unveiled on September 29, outlines key steps including a ceasefire, the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the disarmament of Hamas, and the comprehensive reconstruction of Gaza. Hamas has reportedly agreed to the proposal in principle.
According to Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News, the first day of negotiations ended in a “positive atmosphere.” Israel’s public broadcaster KAN also reported optimism in both Israel and the United States, suggesting an agreement could be reached by Sunday.
Qatar said on Tuesday that “all parties are pushing towards reaching an agreement” to end the war in Gaza under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, as indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas continued in Egypt under international mediation.
Since October 2023, Israel’s bombardment campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,173 Palestinians — including over 20,000 children and 28,000 women — and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The UN says the real figures may be even higher.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reports that 29 of its staff have been killed in Israeli attacks while performing medical duties. Hospitals and ambulances have been repeatedly targeted, with 25 of Gaza’s 38 hospitals are completely out of service and most of the rest barely functioning.
