Hamas delegation joins ceasefire talks in Egypt with hope for ‘real progress’

CAIRO – 13 April 2025: A delegation from Hamas, led by the movement’s chief, Khalil Al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo on Saturday to attend talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in pursuit of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

In a Telegram post, Hamas affirmed their commitment to positive engagement with any proposals that lead to a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, an end to Palestinians’ suffering, and a serious prisoner exchange deal.

Hamas hopes the meeting will achieve “real progress” towards reaching a deal to end the war and ensure the full Israeli withdrawal from Gazan territories, a Hamas official told AFP.

The meeting comes while Egypt has unveiled a recent proposal to restore calm in Gaza, which will allow residents “to catch their breath” and facilitate a captive-prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel.

The proposal aims to restore calm in Gaza and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid, Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty said in a recent TV interview.

He stated that the proposal has been communicated to all involved parties and affirmed that discussions are ongoing to seek its acceptance.

The Egyptian proposal “would allow the residents of Gaza to catch their breath after this fierce war that is targeting civilian women and children, who are absolutely not to blame,” he said.

Reports last week noted that the proposal suggests a truce lasting 40 to 70 days in exchange for the return of 16 captives held by Hamas, eight of whom are alive.

Hamas still holds 59 captives in Gaza, with at least 22 believed to be alive, insisting that negotiations and a ceasefire deal are the only way for Israel to recover its captives.

On the other hand, Israeli forces resumed the war in Gaza on 18 March, killing over 1,500 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

The latest hostilities raise the number of fatalities in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 to nearly 51,000 people.

Hamas warned of the impact of renewed Israeli operations on the safety of the captives, saying Israel “must realize that this aggression represents a death sentence for the remaining captives in the Gaza Strip.”

Hamas has affirmed their readiness to free all captives in one go in exchange for an agreement that includes an end to the war in Gaza and a full Israeli withdrawal.

However, Israeli forces have continued intensive airstrikes in Gaza, while expanding their ground operations and order more evacuations for the enclave’s residents.