🔗 Share this article

News Agency

Mediated discussions focused on achieving a lasting settlement on a American ceasefire proposal to stop the conflict in Gaza have started in the Red Sea resort of the Egyptian resort town.

Palestinian and Egyptian officials have indicated that the meetings are concentrating on "preparing the environment" for a anticipated transfer that would see the freeing of all captured Israelis in return for a number of detained Palestinians.

Hamas has said it agrees to the ceasefire initiative partially, but has omitted reference to several crucial requirements - such as its weapons surrender and future role in Gaza.

Israel's prime minister said on the weekend that he anticipated declaring the liberation of detained individuals "shortly"

Conflict Timeline

The discussions, which will feature Egyptian and Qatari officials holding shuttle meetings with teams from both Israel and Hamas in isolation, occur on the approach of the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on border communities on the initial attack date, in which nearly 1,200 people were lost their lives and 251 individuals were taken hostage.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in retaliation. Since then, over 67,000 have been killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza, based on data from the territory's local health authorities.

Peace Plan Details

The comprehensive proposal, which has been approved by American leadership and Israeli officials, suggests an quick halt to fighting and the release of 48 hostages, only a portion are thought to be living, in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans.

The plan stipulates that once all involved approve the initiative "complete assistance will be immediately sent into the conflict zone"

It also specifies that Hamas would have no involvement in governing Gaza, and it allows for an independent Palestinian nation.

Recent Developments

In the latest development, the group answered to the plan in a announcement, in which the group approved "to liberate all captured individuals, both surviving and deceased, according to the swap arrangement contained in the US initiative" - if the required situation for the swaps are fulfilled.

It failed to address or accept the comprehensive proposal but said it "renews its agreement to hand over the administration of the Palestinian territory to a Palestinian body of professionals, based on local agreement and Arab and Islamic support"

The declaration failed to address of one of the essential conditions of the plan – that Hamas agree to its military demobilization and to ceasing political participation in the governance of Gaza.

International Response

Many Palestinians described the organization's answer to the peace plan as unexpected, after multiple days of suggestions that the faction was likely to refuse or at least substantially modify its endorsement of the US framework.

Instead, the organization excluded its customary boundaries in the official statement, a action many view as a sign of outside forces.

International and regional representatives have supported the initiative. The Palestinian Authority, which controls areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has characterized the Trump administration actions as "sincere and determined"

Iran - which has been one of the organization's key backers for decades - has also currently expressed its support for the American initiative.

Present Conditions

Armed attacks carried on in multiple areas of the Gaza Strip on Monday ahead of the discussions commencing.

Defense personnel is carrying out an offensive in the city, which it has said is intended to achieving the liberation of the outstanding captives.

Mahmoud Basal, speaking for the territory's local emergency services, stated that "no aid trucks have been allowed into the metropolitan area since the military operations started one month prior"

"Victims remain we are unable to recover from areas under military occupation" he said.

Numerous individuals of Gaza City have been compelled to evacuate after the Israeli military mandated relocations to a designated "humanitarian area" in the lower territory, but additional numerous individuals are thought to have stayed.

Israel's defence minister has warned that those who stay during the combat campaign would be "militants and their backers"

In the last 24 hours, 21 Palestinians have been fatally injured in Gaza and a additional 96 injured, the regional health administration said in its latest update.

Foreign correspondents have been restricted by the government from entering the Gaza Strip independently since the commencement of the war, making verifying claims from all parties difficult.