High-Stakes Gaza Ceasefire Talks Underway in Egypt as War Enters Third Year
High-Stakes Gaza Ceasefire Talks Underway in Egypt as War Enters Third Year
Indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas officials commenced in Egypt on Monday, October 6, on the eve of the devastating Gaza war’s second anniversary. The high-stakes negotiations, centered on a U.S.-drafted peace plan, aim to secure a lasting ceasefire and address critical issues like the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza.
The discussions, which included mediators meeting separately with Hamas and Israeli delegations, concluded their first round on Monday evening at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. An Egyptian official indicated that significant progress was made on the first phase of terms, including a hostage release and establishing a ceasefire. Talks were scheduled to resume Tuesday afternoon, October 7.
Despite the diplomatic push, Israeli forces continued airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in at least 19 fatalities within the last 24 hours, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. This ongoing violence underscores the urgent need for a resolution as the conflict enters its third year, having claimed over 67,000 Palestinian lives since October 7, 2023.
Key figures involved in the negotiations include Israel’s top negotiator Ron Dermer and Hamas’s Khalil al-Hayyah, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also expected to participate. The U.S. plan, supported by both Israel and Hamas in principle, proposes the release of the remaining 48 hostages within three days, in exchange for a partial Israeli withdrawal and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed hope for a quick resolution, confining talks to a “few days maximum.”
The commencement of these talks has sparked renewed hope among families of Israeli hostages, who have petitioned for President Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. Meanwhile, in Gaza, families continue to endure immense hardship, with mothers of children born on the war’s first day longing for peace amidst constant displacement and lack of essential services.
The Vatican, marking the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, condemned the initial “inhuman massacre” while also criticizing Israel’s “disproportionate massacre” in Gaza, calling for an end to weapon supplies to the region and stressing the principle of proportionality in self-defense.
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