Israeli officials say there is currently no formal ceasefire in Gaza, despite a temporary pause in some airstrikes, as negotiations move forward on a U.S.-brokered deal to free hostages held by Hamas.
Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian confirmed on Sunday (October 5) that a delegation of Israeli negotiators will travel to Cairo tonight to begin the technical phase of discussions with Egyptian mediators. The talks will focus on finalising the first stage of the agreement — the simultaneous release of 48 Israeli hostages.
“This development comes with talks that will be taking place in Egypt, as the Prime Minister instructed the team, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, to finalise the technical details of the release of the hostages — a priority and first step of this deal,” Bedrosian said. She added that Israel’s government had agreed to the first phase of the U.S.-backed plan, and that Hamas must now act on its commitment to release the captives.
Bedrosian stressed that the meetings in Cairo are strictly technical, focused on logistics and sequencing rather than broader political terms. “The team will be leaving tonight, with plans for talks to begin tomorrow,” she said.
On the ground, she clarified that while some airstrikes had ceased, the Israeli military retained authority to respond if threatened. “There’s no ceasefire in place at this point in time,” Bedrosian told reporters. “The Prime Minister has given orders for defence forces to fire back for defensive purposes, of course, if there is a threat to their life in the battlefield in Gaza.”
The upcoming talks in Egypt mark the most advanced stage yet in efforts to implement President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace proposal, which envisions a phased ceasefire, the release of hostages and prisoners, and eventual international oversight of Gaza’s governance.
Negotiators from Israel, Egypt, and the United States are expected to attend Monday’s meeting in Cairo, as momentum builds toward what could become the most significant breakthrough since the conflict began nearly two years ago.
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