Israeli delegation to arrive in Cairo Monday for Gaza ceasefire, aid talks: WSJ - Foreign Affairs
An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Cairo on Monday as part of ongoing efforts to reach a comprehensive deal with Hamas and coordinate the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The Israeli delegation's visit coincides with intensive Egyptian-Qatari mediation efforts, in coordination with the US, to end the war in Gaza, secure an exchange of captives and detainees, and ensure humanitarian aid entry into the strip.
The Gaza ceasefire negotiations would begin immediately after Hamas releases US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander later on Monday, a US source told CNN.
On Sunday, Hamas announced it would release Alexander, who grew up in the US and was captured by the Palestinian resistance group on 7 October 2023, in a gesture of goodwill to push forward truce talks.
The group's decision followed the direct talks with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff in Doha.
On Monday, Egypt and Qatar praised Hamas' decision to release Alexander as an encouraging step toward the return of the two sides to the negotiation table to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
Last week, Cairo and Doha reaffirmed that both countries would continue their unified efforts to put an end to the war and the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On 18 March, Israel resumed its genocidal war on Gaza after unilaterally ending the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which Egypt, Qatar, and the US mediated.
Since 2 March, Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid to Gaza, putting more than two million Palestinians on the brink of famine.
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