In a significant development, Hamas confirmed on Thursday that its delegation, led by Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy head of the movement in Gaza, has landed in Cairo to engage in discussions aimed at resuming talks on a ceasefire. Egypt, in collaboration with Qatar, is set to host a new round of truce negotiations.
In a press release issued on Thursday, Hamas stated, “A delegation from the movement, led by Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy head of the movement in Gaza, arrived in Cairo on Thursday morning to continue discussions regarding the ceasefire.”
Al-Qahera News TV, citing an Egyptian official source on Wednesday, reported that the talks, sponsored by Egypt and Qatar, will primarily focus on pursuing a truce in the war-torn strip and facilitating a swap deal of captives.
According to the source, Egypt has actively encouraged all parties involved in the ongoing talks to display flexibility with the aim of de-escalating the situation in the region.
Building on their previous mediation success, Egypt and Qatar had facilitated a week-long ceasefire in November, during which Hamas released over 100 captives in exchange for 240 detained Palestinian women and children.
A senior Hamas source informed Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Wednesday that the delegation will engage in indirect negotiations with the Israeli government concerning the Paris Agreement for a ceasefire and the captives exchange deal.
The source further revealed that, during the visit to Cairo scheduled for several days, the Hamas delegation plans to meet with Abbas Kamel, the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, to discuss the latest developments in Gaza.
Ongoing discussions revolve around a framework deal formulated during a meeting in Paris involving officials from Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the United States in late January.
