Hamas opens Cairo talks on Gaza ceasefire implementation

Cairo Negotiations

Hamas announced on Saturday that a senior delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya has begun meetings in Cairo with Egyptian mediators and Palestinian factions to complete the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and establish arrangements for its second phase. The delegation arrived in the Egyptian capital on Friday for discussions on mechanisms to advance the ceasefire process, according to the Palestinian group.

In a video statement, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the meetings would focus on ensuring full implementation of the first phase, including ending Israeli violations, reopening border crossings and allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. He added that discussions would also address second-phase proposals concerning the deployment of international forces and the disarmament of Palestinian factions, noting that Hamas approached the negotiations with a sense of national responsibility.

Ceasefire Phases

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement included a truce and prisoner exchange between Israel and Palestinian factions, though Palestinian sources say Israel has continued to violate the agreement on a near-daily basis. Under the second phase, Israel is expected to carry out further withdrawals from the territory while an international stabilization force would assume security responsibilities, including facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials.

The talks follow a 20-point plan announced by Donald Trump in September outlining a framework that includes the release of Israeli captives, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, the formation of a technocratic administration and the deployment of an international stabilization force alongside calls for Hamas to disarm. Israel's military campaign in Gaza since October 2023 has killed nearly 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 173,000, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian figures, and despite a ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, the Israeli army has killed at least 947 Palestinians and injured 2,935 others in near-daily attacks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.