Informed sources confirmed that a Hamas delegation headed to Cairo today, Friday, to discuss the Egyptian initiative aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, as reported by a Hamas official.
However, a Hamas leader denied rumors about the movement’s delegation visiting Cairo today. Mahmoud Mardawi stated, “As of this moment, no Hamas delegation has headed to Cairo, so there is nothing to discuss in this context since the circulated information about this visit is not accurate.”
Mardawi added, “We are open to all discussions and talk with all parties, but at the appropriate time and with the right party, depending on each issue discussed.”
It was expected that the Hamas delegation would arrive in Cairo today to discuss an Egyptian plan that includes three stages. This involves extendable ceasefires, the gradual release of dozens of prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, ultimately leading to a halt to hostilities that erupted on October 7 following an attack carried out by the movement in Israeli territories.
Last week, the Egyptian initiative was presented to officials from both Hamas and Islamic Jihad during visits made by leaders of the two movements to Cairo.
In Cairo, the Hamas delegation will convey the “response of the Palestinian factions, which includes several notes on their plan,” said an Islamic movement official to AFP, requesting anonymity. These notes particularly concern the methods of anticipated exchange operations, the number of Palestinians to be released, and obtaining guarantees for a complete Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
Osama Hamdan, a leader in Hamas, stated that the movement seeks a national authority that carries the project of liberation, affirming that the Israeli prisoners will not be released until a permanent ceasefire is implemented.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a meeting in Tel Aviv on Thursday with families of captives, said, “We are in contact (with mediators) at this moment. I cannot provide more details. We are working on bringing them all back. That is our goal.”
The sudden and unprecedented attack by Hamas led to approximately 1140 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. During the attack, about 250 people were captured, with 129 still detained in Gaza as per Israeli reports.
Since then, Israel has been conducting intense bombardments on the besieged sector, followed by a ground invasion resulting in over 21,320 deaths, mostly women and children, as announced by the Gaza Health Ministry.
The ongoing situation in Gaza and Cairo’s diplomatic efforts highlight the complex dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Egyptian initiative represents a significant step towards achieving a ceasefire and mitigating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
