The Egyptian newspaper Al-Ghad reported this morning (Sunday) that Hamas sources claim that, in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, 250 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, aged 20 and older, will be released in exchange for Israeli female hostages of the same age group, along with five female soldiers.
Central Dispute: Hamas’ Refusal to Release 11 Hostages Not Meeting “Humanitarian” Criteria
Sources indicated that the negotiations are addressing additional issues raised during talks, including the opening of the Rafah crossing, IDF withdrawal from the Egypt corridor, and allowing armed militants to move to northern Gaza without establishing a monitoring mechanism.
The primary point of contention in the agreement is Israel’s submission of a list of 34 hostages for release in the deal’s first stage, including 11 names that do not fall under the categories of “sick, elderly, or children.”
Additionally, it was reported that Hamas agreed to include a special clause for the release of soldiers in the first stage, provided that a larger number of prisoners are freed in exchange.
Meanwhile: Delegations Arrive in Cairo
It was also reported that a meeting of leaders from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other Gaza factions will take place today in Cairo. During this gathering, senior leaders are expected to discuss the ongoing negotiations and decide on a course of action. Senior officials at the meeting told the Egyptian newspaper that a resolution is closer than ever “if the other side stops adding new conditions.”
This meeting follows the arrival of an Israeli delegation in Cairo over the weekend to discuss the ceasefire and the hostage deal with Egyptian officials. The talks focused on the terms of the ceasefire, control over the Rafah crossing, the Philadelphi Corridor, and the Netzarim Corridor.
According to the Egyptian report, representatives of the incoming Trump administration are expected to participate in the meetings in Cairo, and attempts have been made to involve Turkey in the mediation efforts.
It was further reported that key issues that had been obstacles in previous negotiation rounds have now been resolved, due to changes in the evolving reality. These include “the locations of Israeli military deployments, the possibility of returning displaced persons without Israeli oversight, reconstruction efforts, and Israeli military presence in the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors,” which have now been addressed.
