A Hamas delegation headed by the group’s deputy chief in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, will go to Cairo on April 7 for Gaza ceasefire talks, in response to an invitation extended by Egyptian mediators, the group said in a statement on Saturday.
Hamas reiterated its demands issued in a March 14 proposal prior to a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that was passed on March 25.
The demands include a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a return of the displaced, and a “serious” exchange deal of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, the statement said.
Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been trying, so far fruitlessly, to secure another truce that might return some of the 129 remaining Israeli hostages. The retaliation to the October 7 attacks led by Hamas has so far taken the lives of more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and over 1,100 Israelis, mostly civilians.
Based on various sources of information, Israel has declared at least 35 hostages dead in Gaza captivity. Palestinian factions have said some were killed in Israeli strikes. While confirming this in several cases, Israel says that, in others, hostages whose bodies were recovered bore signs of execution.
The demands include a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a return of the displaced, and a “serious” exchange deal of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, the statement said.
Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been trying, so far fruitlessly, to secure another truce that might return some of the 129 remaining Israeli hostages. The retaliation to the October 7 attacks led by Hamas has so far taken the lives of more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and over 1,100 Israelis, mostly civilians.
Based on various sources of information, Israel has declared at least 35 hostages dead in Gaza captivity. Palestinian factions have said some were killed in Israeli strikes. While confirming this in several cases, Israel says that, in others, hostages whose bodies were recovered bore signs of execution.
Source: Reuters
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