According to the Palestinian news agency Maan, the consultations in Cairo concerning the establishment of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the execution of the agreement on hostage exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, with Hamas participation, are expected to last at least 10 days.
Maan reports that Egyptian representatives anticipate the talks will span at least 10 days before the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip takes effect within the first phase defined by the international mediators' initiative agreed upon in Paris. Representatives from Israel and Qatar are also expected to attend the consultations in Cairo, along with Egypt, which initiated the new round of dialogue with Qatar to resolve the conflict in the Palestinian enclave.
Recently, the positions of the conflicting parties in Gaza have reportedly converged significantly, especially after representatives from Turkey and Saudi Arabia have become more active in implementing the Paris initiative. However, there is no information about the direct involvement of Turkish or Saudi delegations in the Cairo consultations.
If substantial progress is made during the meetings in Cairo, it is possible that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who maintains regular contact with both the Israeli side and Palestinian representatives in Ramallah, may join the negotiations.
A Hamas delegation, led by Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has arrived in Cairo to "finalize negotiations related to the ceasefire [in Gaza]."
On February 7, Egypt and Qatar initiated a new round of dialogue to restore calm in the Gaza Strip and reach an agreement for the exchange of hostages held by radical groups in the Strip for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. Cairo and Doha called for a new round of talks on February 8 to achieve calm in Gaza and reach an agreement on hostage exchanges. Egypt has urged all parties involved in the Gaza conflict and the settlement process to show the necessary flexibility to ensure stability in the Palestinian enclave.
In late January, representatives from the US, Egypt, Israel, and Qatar met in Paris to outline the principles of a new agreement between Hamas and Israel, which includes a phased hostage exchange, a ceasefire, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. On February 6, Hamas confirmed its transmission of a response to Qatar and Egypt regarding a framework agreement to release Israeli hostages in exchange for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The New York Times, citing an anonymous Israeli source, reported that Israel was not prepared to accept the terms proposed by Hamas, as they entail several demands deemed unachievable by the Israeli side.
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Based on materials from TASS