Egypt Daily News – Palestinian and Egyptian sources said on Monday that the latest round of talks in Cairo aimed at reinstating a ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli hostages ended without any clear breakthrough.
According to the sources, Hamas insisted that any agreement must ultimately lead to an end to the war in the Gaza Strip.
Israel, which resumed its military campaign in Gaza last month following the collapse of the January ceasefire, reiterated that it will not stop the war until Hamas is eliminated. The group has rejected any proposal involving its disarmament.
Despite this fundamental disagreement, the sources noted that the Hamas delegation, led by senior Gaza official Khalil Al-Hayya, showed some flexibility regarding the number of hostages it would be willing to release in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, in the event of a temporary truce extension.
An Egyptian source said that the latest proposal involves Hamas releasing a larger number of hostages. Israeli Minister Zeev Elkin, a member of the security cabinet under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Army Radio on Monday that Israel is aiming to secure the release of about ten hostages, double the number Hamas had previously agreed to free.
The Egyptian source added that Hamas has requested more time to respond to the latest proposal, stating:
“Hamas has no objection in principle but is demanding guarantees that Israel will agree to begin negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which would lead to the end of the war.”
Meanwhile, the European Union has announced a €1.6 billion financial support package for the Palestinian people, underscoring growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
