Israel and Hamas Begin Indirect Gaza Ceasefire Talks in Egypt Based on Trump’s 20-Point Peace:

Hopes for a breakthrough in the ongoing Gaza conflict are rising as indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas begin in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with a focus on implementing Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan. On Sunday, Hamas confirmed the arrival of its delegation, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, stating that talks would start Monday. Their goal is to discuss a ceasefire mechanism, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and a prisoner exchange. Israel's delegation, led by Netanyahu confidant Ron Dermer, is expected to arrive Monday for the Egypt-hosted negotiations. The diplomatic momentum follows a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, in which he expressed optimism that a deal to release all remaining captives could be reached this week. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump—who is backing the ceasefire initiative—said progress is being made swiftly. “These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly,” he wrote on social media. “The technical teams will meet again Monday in Egypt to finalize the details. I’m told the first phase should be completed this week, and I urge everyone to MOVE FAST.” Ground Situation in Gaza Remains Dire Despite Trump’s call for Israel to pause military operations, the Israeli army has continued its offensive in Gaza. On Sunday alone, 24 Palestinians were killed, including four asylum seekers near an aid distribution center in Rafah, according to the Nasser Medical Complex and Al Jazeera Arabic. Al Jazeera’s reporter Hani Mahmoud, reporting from central Gaza, highlighted that airstrikes are ongoing, even in areas where displaced civilians have sought refuge. “The Palestinians were hoping for a good night’s sleep, but that didn’t happen,” he reported grimly. According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, over the course of the conflict, more than 2,700 families have been completely wiped off the civil registry, and over 1,000 infants under one year old have been killed, alongside 1,670 medical staff, 254 journalists, and 140 civil defense workers. International Pressure and Regional Support U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also urged a halt to Israeli strikes to enable successful negotiations. “You can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes,” he said during an interview with CBS. “There can’t be a war going on in the middle of it.” Trump’s Gaza peace plan includes Hamas releasing the remaining Israeli hostages and Israel pulling back its troops to the so-called "yellow line", a position it held in August. In return, a ceasefire would be triggered immediately. However, despite these terms, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel would maintain a military presence in Gaza to protect its border communities. “Hamas will be disarmed, Gaza will be demilitarized, and the Israeli army will stay in key areas,” Katz told Israeli media. Arab Nations Support Hamas's Position The foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE released a joint statement on Sunday. They welcomed Hamas’s steps toward implementing Trump’s Gaza plan, including the release of captives and the formation of a transitional Palestinian administrative committee of independent technocrats. The ministers also echoed Trump’s call for Israel to halt its bombing campaign and praised his role in pushing for regional peace. Senior Hamas leader Izzat al-Risheq described the Arab statement as “important support” that increases the chances of reaching a lasting ceasefire. He reiterated that Hamas seeks an end to the occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Trump's Envoys in Egypt Trump has dispatched his son-in-law Jared Kushner and lead Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff to support the Egypt talks. The White House confirmed that a ceasefire will be triggered immediately once Hamas agrees to Israel’s initial troop withdrawal. Although questions remain—especially regarding Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza—Trump remains optimistic. “We don’t need flexibility because everybody has pretty much agreed to it. But there’ll always be some changes,” he said. As negotiations unfold, the world watches closely, hoping this latest diplomatic push brings an end to one of the deadliest conflicts in the region’s recent history.

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