US and Israel upgrade presence at Gaza talks after Hamas hands over hostage swap list
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO (Reuters) – The most promising effort yet to end the war in Gaza got a boost when senior figures from Israel and the United States joined talks on Wednesday after Hamas handed over a list of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange.
Delegations were increasing their presence in indirect talks that began Monday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, as President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan appears closer to stopping the war than previous plans.
Israeli and Palestinian sources said that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff, as well as Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, came and started participating in the talks.
According to Egyptian sources, Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who has been mediating for a long time, also attended the talks.
Türkiye SAYS THAT THERE IS PROGRESS IN THE TALKS
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said “great progress” had been made in negotiations mediated between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas and that a ceasefire would be declared if a positive result was reached.
Trump also expressed optimism about progress toward the deal on Tuesday, diplomatic sources said, and European, Arab and other states will meet in Paris on Thursday to discuss Gaza’s post-war transition, with Washington likely to be represented as well.
However, important details such as timing, post-war governance of the Gaza Strip and the fate of Hamas have not yet been revealed.
Gaza officials say more than 67,000 people have been killed and much of the area destroyed since Israel began its military response to a Hamas offensive two years ago. According to Israeli officials, approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage and taken back to Gaza. 20 of the 48 hostages are believed to be still alive.
Hamas said it had handed over lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged and was optimistic about the talks so far.
The list of Palestinians whom Hamas wants to see freed is expected to include some of the most prominent prisoners ever imprisoned by Israel, whose release was prohibited under previous ceasefires.
According to a Palestinian source close to the talks, the list also includes Marwan al-Barghouti, one of the leaders of the Fatah movement, and Ahmed Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Both are serving multiple life sentences for their involvement in attacks that killed Israelis.
Hamas said indirect talks have so far focused on three issues: stopping the fighting, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza and a swap agreement.
The group has so far refused to discuss Israel’s demand that Hamas lay down its weapons. The Palestinian source said that Hamas will reject this demand as long as Israeli troops occupy Palestinian lands.
Two sources familiar with the talks confirmed that Israel’s withdrawal mechanism was also among the sticking points, with Hamas seeking a clear timeline for the release of hostages and guarantees of a full withdrawal of Israeli forces.
ISRAEL IS REDUCING ITS ATTACKS
Israel reduced its military action in Gaza on Trump’s orders, but did not completely stop the attacks. The Israeli army said its forces killed several militants who were on their way to attack Israeli soldiers in Gaza City, Gaza’s main urban centre.
Gaza health officials reported eight deaths in Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours; This was the lowest death toll in weeks. Last month, as Israeli forces advanced towards Gaza City, daily death rates were nearly 10 times higher.
“We hope from God that the ceasefire will be realized as soon as possible, because people cannot stand the pain anymore,” said Jihad al-Shagnobi, whose house was destroyed in Gaza City’s Sabra district.
Egyptian sources said that another participant in the talks was Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın. This pointed to the increasing role of Türkiye, a NATO member with close contacts with Hamas. President Tayyip Erdogan said Trump asked Türkiye to help persuade Hamas to accept the deal.
ARAB COUNTRIES SAY THE PLAN SHOULD LEAD TO THE STATE OF PALESTINE
Trump’s plan calls for an international body led by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to play a role in the post-war administration of Gaza. Arab countries that support the plan say it should lead to the eventual independence of the Palestinian state, which Netanyahu says will never happen.
There is no clear indication of who will rule Gaza when the war ends. Netanyahu, Trump and Western and Arab states have denied any role for Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since expelling its Palestinian rivals in 2007.
Hamas has said it will leave administration of Gaza solely to a Palestinian technocrat government controlled by the Palestinian Authority and supported by Arab and Muslim countries. He denies any involvement by Blair or foreign rule of Gaza.
Global outrage over Israel’s attack has increased. Many human rights experts, academics and UN investigations say this amounts to genocide. Israel describes its actions as self-defense after the Hamas attack in 2023.
(Dawoud Abu Elkas, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Daren Butler in Ankara, Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramazan in Dubai, Maayan Lubell and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem, John Irish in Paris and Angelo Amante in Rome; Written by Michael Georgy, Peter Graff and Timothy Heritage and Matt Spetalnick; Edited by Alex Richardson, Philippa Fletcher and Nick Zieminski)
