A Hamas delegation will travel to the Egyptian capital to discuss new ideas for a truce with Israel, an official from the Palestinian Islamist movement told Agence France-Presse today.
The delegation, which includes Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, will meet with Egyptian officials to seek a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip, the official said.
The same source referred to any new negotiation contacts a few days after Hamas rejected the Israeli proposals.
Last Thursday, Hamas rejected a truce proposal, saying it opposed a phased partial deal with Israel and favored a full deal as initially envisioned.
The movement that controls the Gaza Strip reiterated its willingness to release all Israeli hostages it kidnapped on October 7, 2023 "in exchange for the end of the war", the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territory and the beginning of reconstruction.
Israel demands the return of all hostages and the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
According to the same Palestinian official, this is a non-negotiable "red line."
The negotiations are being mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
The war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which caused the deaths of 1,218 people, most of them civilians.
According to the Israeli army, 251 people were kidnapped on the same day, 58 of whom remain detained in Gaza, 34 of whom are dead.
A truce that lasted from January 19 until March 17 allowed 33 hostages, (including the remains of eight people), to return to Israel in exchange for the release of some 1,800 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
According to the Hamas Health Ministry, at least 1,890 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli offensive resumed on March 18, bringing the death toll in Gaza since the war began to 51,266.
The Hamas-controlled Palestinian Civil Defense said today that Israeli airstrikes left 26 people dead in the Gaza Strip during the early hours of the morning.
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was determined to continue the war.
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