A delegation from Hamas travels to Cairo to talk with Israel

Reporters were informed by airport sources that a group from Hamas had landed in Cairo amidst ongoing talks with Israel to agree to a truce and prisoner swap.

The three-person Hamas delegation arrived from Doha to talk about the most recent cease-fire proposal. There are also plans to trade hostages for Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.

According to the Israeli news outlet ynet, the plan calls for the release of 33 hostages in exchange for several hundred Palestinian detainees.

Women, female troops, the elderly, injured, and those who are “mentally impaired” are among them.

According to Ynet, which cited a senior Israeli government representative, the number of prisoners freed will determine how long the ceasefire would last.

… Hamas’ demands

Hamas is demanding the release of 50 prisoners for every soldier and 30 prisoners for every civilian.

Under the proposal, Israel would also withdraw from a central road that divides the Gaza Strip into two parts.

Hamas, also said Israel would allow residents of the northern section would be allowed to return to their homes.

A large majority of the approximately 2.2 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip had fled to the south during the war.

However, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu may have to choose between a hostage deal and the continued existence of his government.

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, earlier on Sunday threatened to end the government if the current hostage deal was implemented and a military operation in Rafah stopped.

Netanyahu’s political survival depended on his far-right coalition partners. 

NAN