A delegation from the Palestinian armed group Hamas has reportedly arrived in Cairo, Egypt, to negotiate a ceasefire with Israel and the release of hostages.
Foreign media on the 3rd (local time) cited sources reporting that Khalil al-Hayya, the second-in-command of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, is leading the negotiation team.
An Egyptian state-run media outlet also reported that, in addition to the Hamas delegation, representatives from the United States and Qatar, who are acting as mediators, are currently in Cairo.
It is also known that the Israeli delegation, which had previously stated it would not send negotiators without receiving a list of hostages to be released, is expected to arrive in Cairo on the same day.
On the 23rd of last month, Israel, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt held a four-party meeting in Paris, France, and proposed a negotiation plan centered on a 40-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, along with an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.
In response, Hamas is reviewing the proposal, which includes releasing 10 Palestinian security prisoners for each Israeli hostage, and it is reported that Israel has generally agreed to the terms.
However, Israel's demand for a list of hostages to be released and Hamas's insistence on starting discussions on a permanent ceasefire are seen as obstacles to reaching an agreement.
Additionally, the relief truck incident that occurred in the Gaza Strip on the 29th of last month is also analyzed as a negative factor.
If the negotiations are successful, Israel and Hamas are expected to observe a ceasefire from around the 11th of this month, coinciding with Ramadan, the Islamic fasting month, followed by Eid al-Fitr, the festival a month later.
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