What to know as Gaza ceasefire talks start in Egypt

Two years after the Hamas-led assaults on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the following warfare they ignited might lastly be approaching a turning level.

On Friday, Hamas mentioned it had partially agreed to a 20-point plan launched by the White Home to finish the preventing in Gaza. Israel mentioned it accepted the plan’s first section — agreeing in precept to a restricted troop pullback tied to a hostage handover — however framed that acceptance as conditional, saying Hamas should be disarmed as a part of any ultimate deal.

On Sunday, President Trump informed CNN that Hamas would face “complete obliteration” if it refuses to relinquish management of Gaza, whereas saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on board with ending Israel’s bombing of the territory.

Additionally on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned on CBS’ Face the Nation that Hamas has agreed to the framework of a hostage deal, emphasizing that talks ought to give attention to “the logistics behind the release of these hostages.”

Delegations from Israel, Hamas and the US — joined by mediators from Egypt and Qatar — will meet Monday in Sharm El Sheikh, an Egyptian Purple Sea resort city, as world protests over the Gaza warfare proceed and diplomatic stress mounts for a ceasefire. Jared Kushner and U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff will likely be becoming a member of the U.S. group.

What’s on the desk for Monday’s talks in Egypt?

The White Home’s 20-point proposal would instantly finish the warfare in Gaza as soon as each side settle for. Beneath the plan, Israeli forces would pull again to a chosen “initial line” inside Gaza so hostages may be handed over, and navy operations can be suspended whereas transfers happen.

All 48 hostages, residing and deceased — solely 20 are believed to be alive — can be returned inside 72 hours of each side publicly accepting the settlement. In alternate, Israel would free roughly 250 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel who’re serving life sentences, in addition to 1,700 Gaza residents who’ve been detained for the reason that warfare started.

Israeli officers say they’re ready to hold out the pullback and the prisoner releases, however they are saying any launch should be verifiable, safety ensures should be in place, and Hamas should be successfully disarmed.

Hamas officers say they settle for the broad framework and are prepared to enter talks, however their acceptance is partial and contingent on adjustments. Negotiators near Hamas say the group is urgent for changes to the proposed withdrawal line and desires express ensures that Israel is not going to resume large-scale operations after hostages are returned.

Hamas and mediators additionally say the plan’s 72-hour return window is probably going unrealistic. Some hostage stays are believed buried beneath heavy rubble, others could also be held by totally different teams, and injury to infrastructure complicates fast restoration and verification — so they’re pushing for an extended, staged timetable. An individual briefed by Egyptian officers informed NPR, on situation of anonymity to expose particulars, that they anticipated the timetable for hostage releases to be prolonged to as much as seven days.

The plan leaves a number of large questions unanswered. Hamas insists Israel go away Gaza totally — the proposal, nevertheless, envisions an Israeli “security perimeter presence” in some areas till Gaza is demilitarized and monitored by a global power.

Any full Israeli withdrawal can be contingent upon Hamas giving up its weapons and a global safety power being in place to supervise the method. The doc additionally says that if Gaza’s reconstruction goes nicely and the Palestinian Authority (which oversees elements of the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution) carries out agreed reforms, there may finally be a pathway towards Palestinian self-rule or statehood. However that consequence can be conditional, and the plan units no agency timetable.

Folks in Israel and Gaza stay cautiously hopeful

Many Israelis now see this because the closest they’ve come to ending the warfare.

A current Maariv opinon ballot discovered that greater than half of Israelis assist the American ceasefire proposal.

At a weekly Saturday night time gathering for the hostages in Tel Aviv, many individuals sounded cautiously hopeful — if not annoyed with the political management at residence.

Zvia Agur, who has attended weekly protests for the reason that warfare started, informed NPR she now not sees Netanyahu as her chief.

“He is our enemy,” she mentioned. “When we see that he acts against our true and just ambitions, we have to fight him.”

Households of hostages have been among the many most seen voices pushing for a deal. Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan stays captive, informed reporters she felt nearer than ever on Sunday to being reunited together with her son.

“We are one step away from a comprehensive agreement,” Zangauker mentioned, in keeping with an announcement from the group Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board. “We will not let this opportunity slip away.”

Israeli airstrikes and drone hearth continued by the weekend in Gaza, and scores of Palestinians had been killed, in keeping with Gaza’s well being ministry.

Gaza’s well being ministry says greater than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that warfare started.

Contained in the territory, many are cautiously optimistic. However there are doubts. A’id Fuad al-Minawi, 52, informed NPR that the bombing intensified on Friday after Hamas responded to the ceasefire proposal.

“It’s a trap,” he mentioned. “Israel will impose impossible new conditions after they get the hostages — and the war will begin again.”

Hamas officers say their central demand is a assure that Israel is not going to resume large-scale operations as soon as hostages are returned.

If the talks in Egypt succeed, the primary hostages may very well be freed inside days — and for the primary time in almost two years, each Palestinians and Israelis would possibly glimpse an finish to the warfare.

NPR’s Daniel Estrin and Emily Feng contributed reporting from Tel Aviv. NPR’s Anas Baba contributed reporting from Gaza.