A delegation from Palestinian Islamic Jihad arrived in Egypt Wednesday evening to participate in ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by international actors, aimed at ending the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian armed faction announced its participation in the talks, stating its objectives are to secure a cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, a prisoner exchange agreement, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
On Saturday, Palestinian armed groups, including Islamic Jihad’s military wing, voiced support for Hamas’s response to the U.S. plan for Gaza and called for an urgent national meeting to establish mechanisms for governing the strip.
Dozens of Palestinian armed factions operate in the region, with the most prominent including the Qassam Brigades (Hamas’s armed wing), the Quds Brigades (Islamic Jihad’s armed wing), the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade (Fatah’s armed wing), the Popular Front for the Liberation of palestine, and the Popular Resistance committees.
The third round of indirect negotiations between Israeli and Hamas negotiators, focused on implementing the Gaza plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, commenced Wednesday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with increased support from mediators.
Key participants in Wednesday’s discussions include the heads of intelligence services from Egypt and Turkey, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohamed Bin Abdelrahman, and a U.S. negotiating team led by Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.