Diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza are intensifying and hanging by a thread, with Egypt hosting delegations from Israel and Hamas on Monday (06/10) for negotiations based on Trump’s plan. US special envoys have arrived in Cairo while strikes continue to pound the embattled enclave.
The Cairo talks specifically aim to finalize technical details of a ceasefire agreement and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as implement the 20-point peace plan presented by the United States.
The US has sent two special envoys to Egypt: Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, his personal envoy. Trump stated on Saturday that he is “very close to an agreement” and wants to “finalize” the ceasefire in the coming days, according to The Guardian.
The talks will focus on the release of Israeli hostages, the freeing of Palestinian prisoners, and the conditions for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that intra-Palestinian consultations will also take place to determine Gaza’s political and administrative future after hostilities end, according to CNN.
Gaza: high-level delegations in Egypt for negotiations
On the Israeli side, the delegation will be headed by Ron Dermer, Minister of Strategic Affairs and close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The mission will include Gal Hirsch, coordinator for captives and missing persons, General Nitzan Alon, head of the military unit for hostages, and a representative from Shin Bet, the internal security service. Netanyahu stated he wants to limit the negotiations to a few days, expressing hope he can announce the hostages’ release “during the Sukkot holiday,” which begins on Monday.
Hamas, for its part, will be represented by Khalil al-Hayya, a top official of the Islamist movement, according to Saudi channel Asharq cited by The Times of Israel. The Hamas delegation, which arrived in Cairo on Saturday evening, is expected to proceed to Sharm El-Sheikh to continue the talks. Initial contacts will focus on hostage release procedures in the coming days, with assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross, as in previous exchanges.
Al-Hayya, who remained outside Gaza throughout the war, recently escaped a failed Israeli strike in Doha. He appeared publicly for the first time since the assassination attempt, shortly before departing for Egypt.
Deadly bombardments in Gaza despite ceasefire appeals
As diplomatic moves accelerate, The Guardian reports that dozens of Palestinians were killed on Saturday in multiple Israeli attacks on Gaza, despite Donald Trump’s call to halt bombardments. At least 17 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives in an attack on a residence in Gaza City’s al-Tuffah neighborhood, while another 20 people remain missing under the rubble.
Earlier the same day, Israeli drones struck a gathering of people near a bakery in the city center, killing dozens of civilians, according to Palestinian agency Wafa. Other attacks hit a displaced persons’ shelter in the coastal al-Mawasi area, which Israel had designated a “safe zone.”
Hamas accused Israel of “continuing the massacres” and Benjamin Netanyahu of lying when claiming to reduce military operations against civilians.
Trump increases pressure on both sides – “Now or never”
Donald Trump publicly praised Israel for the “temporary halt of bombardments,” warning however that he will not tolerate delays from Hamas. He stated that Israel has accepted an initial withdrawal line and that once the agreement is approved, the ceasefire will take effect, paving the way for hostage and prisoner exchanges and then the “second phase of withdrawal.”
In an interview with Axios, the American president revealed part of his conversation with the Israeli prime minister: “I told Bibi [Netanyahu]: this is your chance for a victory. He agreed, he has no other choice,” Trump said, adding that his plan has support from “all countries in the world” and that even Hamas “took a big step forward.”
Trump also thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his role in the negotiations, calling him a “tough but valuable friend” who “helped significantly” in getting Hamas to accept the hostage exchange.
Meanwhile, in the early hours of Sunday (05/10), the American president posted a photo from the large rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where thousands of Israelis demanded their government accept his plan to end the Gaza war and free all captives. The photo is taken from above, with the crowd holding a banner reading “Now or Never.” Trump’s message to both Hamas and Israel to implement the plan to end the war is more than clear.
Guardian: negotiations could collapse at any moment
The Cairo talks are taking place after two years of war and more than 67,000 dead Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Times of Israel emphasizes that the current negotiations, with support from Washington and Cairo, represent the last chance for a viable ceasefire before Gaza’s potential complete collapse.
For now, Donald Trump also seeks to restore Israel’s international image, which has been severely damaged by the war. “Bibi went too far and Israel lost much of its international support. I will bring it back,” he stated characteristically.
However, as The Guardian reminds us, trust between the parties remains fragile and negotiations could collapse at any moment — between a historic agreement and a new bloody deadlock.
