Gaza Truce Talks Set to Restart in Egypt With Hopes for Deal

A Hamas delegation has reportedly arrived in Cairo for new talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire in Gaza، where the war between the Iran-backed militant group and Israel is nearing the seven-month mark.

Reports in Saudi Arabian and Israeli media that couldn’t be independently confirmed suggest Hamas negotiators are prepared to accept an Egypt-brokered deal within hours.

Israel’s Channel 12 also quoted a Hamas official who wasn’t identified، saying that the organization’s leadership had approved the implementation of the first phase of a hostage release plan.

CIA Director Bill Burns arrived in Cairo on Friday to help Egyptian mediators work toward a truce، Axios reported. Israel has not yet sent a delegation، an official told Agence France Presse.

Hostage release

As of early Saturday، Hamas had yet to make a formal response to the latest proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release put forward by US، Egyptian and Qatari mediators، who are looking to avert an Israeli military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah.

Hamas officials en route to Cairo told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that they also question whether Israeli forces would resume fighting after hostages are released.

Israel will consider joining cease-fire talks with Hamas only when the militant group responds to the latest internationally mediated proposal for a temporary truce and hostage release، state-run Kan News reported earlier this week.

However، Israel will under no circumstances agree to end the war as part of an agreement to release its hostages، an Israeli official said on Saturday. The official declined to be identified as discussions continue.

Israel’s government briefed the White House this week on its plan to move Palestinian civilians out of Rafah before a potential military operation، the Associated Press reported، citing officials it didn’t identify.

That’s consistent with comments from John Kirby، a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council، who said on April 28 that Israel had agreed to hear out US concerns.

Israel has “assured us that they won’t go into Rafah until we’ve had a chance to really share our perspectives and our concerns with them،” Kirby told ABC News.

A large-scale offensive

The US has urged Israel against a large-scale offensive in Rafah، which Israeli officials say is needed to crush the final stronghold of 5،000 to 8،000 Hamas fighters and key leaders from the Palestinian militant group.

About 1.5 million Palestinians have sheltered in Rafah، after evacuating from further north in the coastal enclave as fighting raged.

A “full-blown famine” has now developed in parts of northern Gaza and is “moving its way south،” Cindy McCain، director of the UN’s World Food Program، told NBC News in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday’s “Meet the Press.”

Separately، the US has told Qatar that it should expel Hamas if the group continues to reject a cease-fire with Israel، the Washington Post reported. The message was delivered to Qatar’s prime minister by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in April، the newspaper reported.

Israel has been waging a military campaign in Gaza to wipe out Hamas since the militant group swept across the border and attacked Israeli communities and military bases on Oct. 7. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union.

Hamas fighters killed 1،200 people in that assault and took about 250 others hostage. The Israeli bombardment and ground offensive has destroyed much of Gaza، killing more than 34،000 Palestinians، according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.