Hamas officials were in Egypt on Monday (October 6th) ahead of talks with Israel that the US hopes will lead to an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, despite contentious issues such as the disarmament of Palestinian militant groups under Donald Trump's plan.

Israeli negotiators were also scheduled to travel to the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh later in the day to discuss the hostages' release, part of the US president's 20-point blueprint for ending the two-year conflict.

The Israeli delegation includes officials from the Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agencies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's foreign policy adviser, Ophir Falk, and hostage coordinator, Gal Hirsch.

However, Israel's chief negotiator, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, is not expected to join until later this week, pending developments in the negotiations, according to three Israeli officials. Spokespeople for Dermer and the prime minister did not immediately comment.

The Hamas delegation was led by exiled Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Gaza, whose visit to Egypt was his first since he survived an Israeli airstrike in Doha, the Qatari capital, last month designed to assassinate top Hamas officials.

Hamas negotiators will seek clarity on the mechanisms for achieving the exchange of remaining hostages—both dead and alive—for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, as well as an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and a ceasefire, according to a statement released by the Islamist group late Sunday.

A thorny issue is likely to be Israel's demand, echoed in Trump's plan, that Hamas disarm, something the group insists cannot happen unless Israel ends its occupation and a Palestinian state is established, a Hamas source told Reuters.

Netanyahu, whose country has been isolated internationally over the destruction of Gaza, has said a Palestinian state will never be realized, contradicting Western countries that recently recognized Palestinian independence. An official briefed on the talks told Reuters that he expected the round of negotiations that began on Monday to be slow.

"The negotiations will last at least several days, perhaps even longer. There will likely be no quick agreement because the goal is to reach a comprehensive agreement with all the details ironed out before the ceasefire can begin," he said.

"Hamas and Israel have agreed to the basics of Trump's 20-point plan. The next phase or phases of negotiations are designed to work out the specific details, which has been a lengthy process."

Previously, mediators had reached agreement on the first phase and left the subsequent phases to be negotiated later, but the entire process collapsed quickly.

The mediators have a long list of difficult issues for Israel and Hamas to agree on, ranging from logistics such as the details and timetable for the Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza to the specifics of transferring control of Gaza from Hamas and the creation of the International Stabilization Force envisioned as part of Trump's plan, the official said.

Trump is optimistic. "I was told that the first phase must be completed this week, and I urge everyone to MOVE FAST," he said in a social media post. The first phase involves the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. There are 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive.

Trump's plan is the most sophisticated effort ever to end the war, the longest and most destructive in the generations-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Hamas on Friday agreed to the hostage release and several other elements of Trump's plan, but omitted more controversial points, including calls for disarmament and the relinquishment of political power in Gaza. Trump welcomed Hamas' response and called on Israel to stop bombing Gaza. (alg)

Source: Reuters