Ceasefire hopes rise as Israel and Hamas begin talks in Egypt

Israel and Hamas began a new round of indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday, raising hopes for a possible ceasefire in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages, nearly two years after the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the ongoing war.

The talks, hosted in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a deal could be imminent, with a hostage release potentially announced within the week.

A delegation led by senior Israeli negotiator Ron Dermer departed for Egypt on Monday, Netanyahu’s office confirmed.

Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation has already arrived, according to an Egyptian official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is also participating in the negotiations.

The proposed U.S.-backed peace plan includes the release of the remaining 48 hostages held by Hamas—around 20 of whom are believed to still be alive—within a three-day period.

In exchange, Hamas would disarm and relinquish control over Gaza.

President Donald Trump welcomed Hamas’s conditional acceptance of aspects of the U.S. proposal, while Israeli officials have signaled support for the new American initiative.

Egypt’s foreign ministry confirmed that the discussions would center on a possible exchange involving Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israeli jails.

“This is the closest we’ve come to getting all of the hostages released,” said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasizing the high stakes and fragile progress of the talks.

The negotiations mark a critical juncture in efforts to end the conflict, which has caused widespread destruction and loss of life in Gaza over the past two years.