Hamas in Egypt on Monday to discuss truce

Photo: Louai Beshara Agence France-Presse The number 2 of Hamas' political branch for Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya (right), and the secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Talal Naji (left), in Damascus, capital of Syria, on October 19, 2022

France Media Agency

Published at 9:45 a.m. Updated at 5:14 p.m.

• Middle East

A Hamas delegation will arrive in Egypt on Monday to deliver its response to the recent Israeli counter-proposal for a truce in the fighting in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages, a senior official of the Palestinian movement announced on Sunday. at Agence France-Presse.

The delegation, “led by Khalil al-Hayya”, member of the Hamas political branch for Gaza and very involved in these negotiations , “will meet with the director and officials of the Egyptian intelligence service to discuss and deliver the response of the Palestinian movement,” said this senior official on condition of anonymity.

Hamas indicated that it had received on Saturday the counter-proposal made by Israel as part of mediation from Qatar and Egypt.

The delegation must also discuss of a “new Egyptian proposal,” added the senior Palestinian movement official.

“Hamas is ready to discuss in a positive manner the new Egyptian proposal” and wishes to reach an agreement guaranteeing a permanent ceasefire, the voluntary return “of the displaced”, an acceptable arrangement for an exchange “of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages and the end of the siege of the Gaza Strip,” another Hamas source close to the negotiations told AFP.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying in vain to convince Israel and Hamas to stop fighting since the end of a week-long truce on December 1, 2023, which allowed the release of 80 Israeli hostages against 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

Israel launched an all-out offensive in the Gaza Strip following the unprecedented October 7 attack in southern Israel by Hamas, in power in Gaza since 2007.

The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mainly civilians, according to an AFP report based on official Israeli data. Palestinian fighters also kidnapped some 250 people, taking them to Gaza. Of these, according to Israel, 129 are still in the Gaza Strip, 34 of whom are considered dead by the Israeli army.

The vast military operation carried out in retaliation in the Gaza Strip by Israel, which promised to annihilate Hamas, left 34,454 dead, mostly civilians, according to Hamas.