Egypt will host delegations from Israel and Hamas on Monday to discuss “field conditions and details” of a potential exchange involving all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners, as part of the latest U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
Cairo hopes the talks will help “end the war and the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people, which has continued for two consecutive years,” the ministry added, noting that the meetings are part of Egypt’s broader mediation efforts with other international partners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism on Saturday that all hostages held in Gaza could be freed within days. “We are on the verge of a significant achievement,” he said in a live address. “It’s not final yet, but I hope that during the upcoming Sukkot holiday we will be able to secure the release of all hostages, both living and deceased, while maintaining our military presence deep inside Gaza.”
Sukkot, a week-long Jewish holiday, begins Monday evening. Netanyahu added that Israel would limit the negotiations to just a few days, stressing that under the second phase of the U.S. plan, Hamas would be disarmed and Gaza demilitarised “through military action or diplomatic means.”
His remarks drew sharp criticism from far-right ministers in his coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the decision “a grave mistake” that would allow Hamas to “stall for time,” while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned that his faction would leave the government if Hamas remained intact after the hostages’ release.
Hamas announced on Friday that it had accepted the 20-point proposal in principle and was ready for mediated negotiations. The international community welcomed the move and urged both sides to take this opportunity to end the fighting and alleviate civilian suffering.
The 20-point plan envisions a ceasefire-for-hostages arrangement, a phased Israeli withdrawal, and a demilitarised Gaza governed under international oversight. Hamas would be excluded from governance. Under the proposed deal, Israel would halt military operations and withdraw to agreed lines, while Hamas would have 72 hours to release all hostages—alive and deceased—once Israel accepts the plan. In return, Israel would release 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained after 7 October 2023. Disarmed Hamas members pledging peaceful coexistence would receive amnesty and could relocate safely to countries willing to accept them.
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