CAIRO: Delegations from Palestinian resistance group Hamas, Qatar and the United States (US) have arrived in Egypt for “a new round of talks” aimed at brokering a truce in the ongoing Gaza conflict, state-linked Al-Qahera News reported on Sunday.
This latest diplomatic effort comes amid a nearly five-month-long war between Israel and Hamas, triggered by an attack on October 7. Cairo, Doha, and Washington have been actively mediating discussions over the past weeks in hopes of achieving a cessation of hostilities before the onset of the holy month of Ramadan, slated to commence on March 10 or 11. However, optimism has been tempered by several rounds of unsuccessful negotiations since a brief ceasefire in November.
According to sources within Hamas as quoted by AFP, their delegation, led by senior figure Khalil al-Haya, is set to hold talks with Egyptian mediators to address a new proposal, referred to as the “Paris proposal,” stemming from talks held last month in the French capital, which involved Israeli representation.
Gaza Truce Talks Amid Israeli Attacks
Egyptian officials have played a crucial role as intermediaries between US envoys and Hamas, as well as facilitating communication between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group in previous negotiations.
Central to the discussions is a proposal for a six-week ceasefire and the exchange of hostages by the Palestinian resistance group in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, alongside increased humanitarian aid deliveries.
Meanwhile, the toll of Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip continues to mount, with the Gaza health ministry reporting on Sunday that the relentless Israeli bombardment campaign since October 7 has resulted in the deaths of at least 30,410 people, mostly women and children.
