Hamas on Sunday urged for a swift start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel, just as negotiators from both sides prepared to meet in Egypt for crucial talks aimed at ending the nearly two-year-long Gaza war.
The discussions, set to take place in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, have been described by foreign ministers from several countries including Egypt as a “real opportunity” to achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire.
A senior Hamas official, speaking anonymously to AFP, said the group was “very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions.” The diplomatic momentum follows Hamas’s positive response to a roadmap proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for ending hostilities and securing the release of captives held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Saturday that he had instructed his negotiators to head to Egypt “to finalise the technical details.” He expressed optimism that Israeli hostages could be released within days if an agreement is reached.
Cairo, meanwhile, announced it would host a Hamas delegation to discuss “ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners.”
The Israeli government’s delegation was expected to depart Sunday evening, with formal negotiations set to begin Monday coinciding with the eve of the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that ignited the current conflict.
The White House also confirmed that President Trump had dispatched his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to Egypt to support the talks. As diplomatic efforts intensify, global observers remain cautiously optimistic that these negotiations could mark the beginning of the end to one of the most devastating conflicts in recent years.
