A high-level Hamas delegation is heading to Egypt for the latest round of negotiations aimed at interrupting – if not stopping – Israel’s relentless war on Gaza, despite the prospect of a devastating ground invasion in Rafah, in the enclave’s south.
Led by Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’ deputy head in the Gaza Strip, the delegation will present the group’s response to the latest Israeli proposals at talks in Cairo mediated by Qatar and the United States.
Here’s what we know about the status of the talks and why they’re important at a time when Israel’s war has already killed more than 34,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
What happened to the April talks?
Hamas and Israeli officials have been talking through mediators throughout April but have had little tangible results.
Negotiators were in Cairo on April 7, and while Egyptian sources reported that some progress had been made on a three-stage agreement that would include a prisoner exchange and thus a long-term ceasefire, the Palestinian group did not share that assessment.
In late March, Israel proposed that an Arab force could temporarily oversee security in Gaza, but the proposal was rejected. Hamas has insisted on sticking to its basic demands: a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the full return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, allowing more aid into the enclave and beginning a reconstruction process.
Despite deep differences, both sides have signaled they are willing to work toward a ceasefire.
What is the latest ceasefire proposal?
Last week, the head of Hamas’ delegation told Al Jazeera Arabic that the group was “serious about releasing Israeli prisoners” if an agreement was reached that would provide for a permanent ceasefire.
Last week, Egypt sent its own delegation to Israel to restart the stalled negotiations. Hamas has since confirmed that it received a new proposal from Israel on Saturday.
US news site Axios reported, citing two unnamed Israeli officials, that the latest Israeli proposal includes a willingness to discuss “restoring sustainable calm” in Gaza. According to the Reuters news agency, the proposal calls for the release of about 130 Israeli prisoners still held in Gaza. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups captured more than 200 people and brought them to Gaza following their attacks on southern Israel on October 7.
However, the two sides are now believed to be discussing the release of a smaller number of prisoners – 33 women, children and elderly prisoners – in the first phase of a new ceasefire. In return, Hamas is demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. Details about the number of prisoners are unclear.
According to Reuters, in the second phase of a deal, Israel may allow some return of Palestinians displaced from northern and central Gaza to their homes and withdraw some troops.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a new ceasefire in Gaza since 80 Israeli prisoners were swapped for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons following a week-long pause in fighting in November.
The talks have taken on new urgency amid increasing proposals by Israel to launch a ground attack on Rafah, where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are trapped.
Will the ongoing diplomatic push produce results?
On Saturday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said his government may suspend its declared Rafah offensive if talks in Cairo result in an agreement.
Meanwhile, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari has called on Israel and Hamas to show “more commitment and seriousness” in ceasefire negotiations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Saudi Arabia on Monday as part of the first stop of another Middle East trip focused on the war in Gaza.
In Riyadh, Blinken is expected to meet senior Saudi leaders and hold a broader meeting with counterparts from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan before visiting Jordan and Israel.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has warned that the US is the only country that can prevent an Israeli attack on Rafah.
“Then the greatest catastrophe in the history of the Palestinian people would occur,” he said of the consequences of failing to stop Israel.
How is Rafah dividing senior Israeli officials?
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is dealing with a divided house domestically – and the impact of a ceasefire with Hamas could have implications for the future of his fragile ruling coalition.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have directly threatened to “smash” the government and overthrow Netanyahu if the ceasefire includes what they might see as concessions to Hamas.
“A government led by you will have no right to exist,” Smotrich said in a video message addressed to Netanyahu.
Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s War Cabinet, takes an opposite view. Gantz has argued that releasing prisoners is “urgent” and should be the government’s priority. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also called for an agreement focused on the release of Israeli prisoners.