Egypt, a key intermediary in truce talks, will host delegations from both sides to discuss a possible exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are also travelling to Egypt to take part in the talks, which follow Hamas’s request to discuss elements of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war. An Israeli official said the military had assumed a defensive posture in Gaza City, while Hamas reported that airstrikes and shelling continued, killing dozens in the enclave’s de facto capital.
Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend to celebrate Hamas’ offer, Axios reported Sunday. Netanyahu, however, called it “meaningless,” prompting Trump to tell him, “This is a win. Take it.” A day earlier, Trump wrote on social media that if the hostages are released, “We will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE.”
Israel’s delegation in Egypt will include Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, while Hamas will be represented by Ghazi Hamad, Osama Hamdan, and Muhamed Darwish, Kan News reported. Discussions will focus on the timing of the hostage release and the list of Palestinian prisoners to be freed.
Netanyahu said Israel’s military would redeploy within Gaza and left open the option of forcibly disarming Hamas. A swap of hostages and prisoners would occur immediately upon agreement, while Hamas’ disarmament would follow in a second stage. “I hope that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, we can announce the return of all our hostages, alive and dead, in one single release,” Netanyahu said. Sukkot begins Monday evening and lasts a week.
Details on Trump’s plan remain scarce. His latest comments shifted pressure onto Hamas, which released a statement Friday prompting Trump to urge Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!”
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