Hamas returns to Cairo to continue discussions on ceasefire in Gaza

The Hamas delegation returned to Cairo to continue the discussion on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and try to reach an agreement that would allow the ongoing conflict to end, the Palestinian movement said on Tuesday, 7.

On Monday the 6th, Hamas informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that it agreed to the terms of the ceasefire agreement they had drafted.

The proposal envisages three 42-day phases, during which the conclusion of a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners is expected.

“A Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya [vice-líder do Hamas] recently arrived in Cairo from Doha to continue the efforts of mediators in Egypt and Qatar to reach an agreement to end the aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip,” the movement said on Telegram.

Also on Monday, Israel began a military operation in eastern Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Hamas demands that the Israelis completely withdraw their troops from the enclave and end the conflict.

Israel’s leadership, in turn, says it is ready for a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of the hostages, but does not give up on achieving all the objectives of the war, including the complete elimination of Hamas’ military and political capabilities.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking civilian neighborhoods and military bases. Around 1,100 people were killed as a result of the action, in addition to around 240 kidnapped.

In retaliation, Israel launched attacks against the Gaza Strip, ordered a total blockade of the enclave and began a ground incursion with the stated aim of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing hostages.

To date, more than 34,700 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, according to local authorities. More than 100 hostages are believed to still be held by Hamas in Gaza.