A Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo for talks with Israel, signaling renewed negotiations for a ceasefire and a potential prisoner exchange deal. The three-member Hamas team flew in from Doha to discuss the latest proposal for a ceasefire, which includes an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
According to reports from Israeli news website ynet, the proposal involves the release of 33 hostages in exchange for several hundred Palestinian prisoners. The prisoners include women, female soldiers, elderly individuals, and the injured, as well as those described as "mentally impaired."
Citing a senior Israeli government representative, ynet reported that the duration of the ceasefire would depend on the number of hostages released. Hamas is demanding the release of 50 prisoners for every soldier and 30 prisoners for every civilian.
Additionally, under the proposal, Israel would withdraw from a central road that divides the Gaza Strip into two parts. Hamas also stated that Israel would allow residents of the northern section to return to their homes.
During the war, a large majority of the approximately 2.2 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip had fled to the south. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may face a difficult decision between accepting the hostage deal and maintaining his government's stability.
Israel's far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionist Party, recently threatened to end the government if the current hostage deal is implemented and a military operation in Rafah is stopped.
