Cairo,โ Egypt โข- โขIsraeli โฃand Hamas negotiatorsโข convened in Cairo todayโค to discuss a โpotential end to the ongoing conflict and the release of hostages held by Hamas. The โคIsraeliโฃ Prime Minister expressed optimism that hostages could be released within days.
This diplomatic effort follows Hamas’s positive responseโ to โขa proposal put forth by U.S. President Donald Trump outlining a framework for the release ofโ hostages in exchange for the release โคof hundreds of Palestinians detained in Israeliโฃ prisons.
israeli Prime Minister Benjamin โNetanyahu stated on Saturday he hadโ directed negotiators to travel to egypt “toโฃ complete technicalโ details.” Egyptian โคgovernment media confirmed Cairo would also host a Hamas delegation to โฃnegotiate “Fieldโ Conditions and Exchange Details of โAll Israeli Prisonersโค and Palestinian Prisoners.”
Negotiations between the warring parties are scheduled to takeโค place onโข Sunday andโฃ Monday. The White โHouse announced โTrump โขdispatched two envoysโฃ to Egypt: his son-in-law, Jaredโฃ Kushner, and Middle Eastern negotiator, Steve Witkoff.
President Trump cautioned that he “will not tolerate the delay” from hamas, urging theโ group to swiftly โขreach an agreement “or all bets willโ be canceled.” Trump stated on social mediaโค thatโ Israel had approved anโ initial withdrawal line in Gaza, which had been sharedโข with Hamas.
“When Hamas confirms, โฃtheโ ceasefire will soon be in force, the exchange of hostages and prisoners will begin, and we will create conditions for the next withdrawal phase,”โค he wrote, accompanying theโข statement with โa proposed map.
Netanyahu, in โคa televised address, said, “in the โcoming days we will beโ able to bring back all of our hostagesโฆ During the Sukkot holiday,” referencing the Jewish Festival commencing Monday.
“Hamas will be strippedโฆ bothโ diplomaticallyโข through โTrump’s plans and militarily by us,”โค he added.
on Fridayโ night, Hamas announced “his approval for the releaseโ of all hostages – both alive and โstill remaining – in accordanceโ with the exchange formula included in โthe President Trump’s proposal.”
Trump promptly lauded the statement as evidence the group was “readyโ forโค eternal peace” and called for Israel toโข halt bombing โoperations.