🔗 Share this article

News Agency

Third-party negotiations working toward a lasting settlement on a American ceasefire proposal to halt hostilities in Gaza have begun in the Egyptian city of the Egyptian resort town.

Middle Eastern and regional officials have indicated that the meetings are centered around "preparing the environment" for a possible exchange that would see the freeing of all Israeli hostages in return for a number of incarcerated individuals.

The group stated it consents to the peace plan proposals in part, but has omitted reference to several key demands - such as its disarmament and political participation in Gaza.

The Israeli leader said on recently that he hoped to announce the liberation of hostages "soon"

Conflict Timeline

The talks, which will involve regional and international officials holding shuttle meetings with teams from both the two sides separately, come on the verge of the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on the initial attack date, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were seized.

The Israeli military initiated operations in Gaza in retaliation. From that point, 67,160 have been killed by defense force actions in Gaza, according to the region's local health authorities.

Peace Plan Details

The comprehensive proposal, which has been approved by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, proposes an quick halt to fighting and the release of 48 detained individuals, only a portion are believed to be alive, in compensation of hundreds of incarcerated individuals.

The plan stipulates that once all involved accept the proposal "humanitarian support will be promptly delivered into the Gaza Strip"

It also specifies that the organization would have no participation in political leadership, and it allows for an future Palestinian sovereignty.

Current Situation

In the latest development, officials replied to the proposal in a statement, in which the group agreed "to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, following the swap arrangement specified by the American plan" - if the necessary circumstances for the exchanges are fulfilled.

It omitted reference to or accept the comprehensive proposal but said it "renews its agreement to hand over the management of the Gaza Strip to a local administration of professionals, established through regional unity and Arab and Islamic support"

The declaration omitted reference of one of the key demands of the plan – that the organization consent to its weapons surrender and to ceasing political participation in the governance of Gaza.

International Response

Local residents described Hamas' response to the ceasefire proposal as surprising, after an extended period of indications that the faction was considering denial or at least heavily condition its endorsement of the American initiative.

Conversely, the organization omitted its customary boundaries in the formal declaration, a move many consider a sign of international influence.

International and regional leaders have endorsed the initiative. The Palestinian Authority, which controls parts of the Palestinian territories, has described the American initiatives as "genuine and committed"

The Persian nation - which has been one of the group's primary supporters for decades - has also now signalled its endorsement of the American initiative.

Current Situation

Israeli bombardment persisted in multiple areas of the Palestinian territory on Monday ahead of the talks beginning.

Israel is carrying out an combat campaign in the urban area, which it has declared is intended to achieving the liberation of the outstanding captives.

An official representative, speaking for Gaza's civil protection agency, reported that "no aid trucks have been permitted entry to the metropolitan area since the campaign commenced one month prior"

"Remains persist we cannot retrieve from zones under military occupation" he stated.

Numerous individuals of the metropolitan area have been required to leave after the armed services mandated relocations to a established protection region in the lower territory, but hundreds of thousands more are thought to have stayed.

The defense representative has warned that those who persist during the offensive would be "terrorists and supporters of terror"

In the last 24 hours, 21 individuals have been lost their lives in Gaza and a further 96 injured, the regional health administration said in its current assessment.

Foreign correspondents have been banned by the government from accessing the conflict zone independently since the start of the war, making verifying claims from both sides challenging.