Hamas delegation in Cairo for ceasefire: glimmers in Gaza negotiations

Egyptian mediators attempt to bridge the gap between the parties. Hamas says it is ready to release hostages and consider giving up control of the Strip

A Hamas delegation is expected in Cairo today for new talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This was reported by the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, a news also confirmed by several Israeli media. According to reports, Hamas has shown a more flexible attitude on the number of Israeli hostages to be freed and has said it is willing to consider ceding control of the Palestinian enclave. Leading the delegation would be Khalil al-Hayya, a leading figure in the organisation.

Already in recent days, the Lebanese daily Al Akhbar, citing Egyptian sources, had spoken of an ‘acceleration’ in the negotiations. Confirming the climate of greater openness, Israel and Egypt have reportedly exchanged drafts of a possible agreement, as reported by the Israeli radio station Kan. The proposals under discussion aim to find a compromise between Egyptian mediation and the conditions put forward by the United States, represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff. Senior Israeli officials quoted by Kan believe that an understanding can be reached soon.

According to the Egyptian draft that emerged earlier this week, the agreement calls for the release of eight live hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for a truce lasting between 40 and 70 days, accompanied by the release of several Palestinian prisoners. An earlier proposal, formulated by Witkoff, instead assumed the release of five hostages in exchange for a two-month truce.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high on the ground. Yesterday, an Israeli attack on a house in Katiba, Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, killed at least ten people, including three minors and two women, according to Al Jazeera. Another eight civilians were reportedly killed in the early hours of the morning in a raid in Sheikh Nasser, also in eastern Khan Younis. New bombings also reportedly hit Rafah and the al-Atatra neighbourhood in Beit Lahiya, where at least two people were killed.

The UN expressed deep concern about the impact of the Israeli attacks on civilians. The High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that between 18 March and 9 April, some 224 attacks were recorded against residential buildings and tents for displaced persons. In at least 36 documented incidents, the victims were exclusively women and children.

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