Israeli cabinet to convene as hostage deal talks pick back up, delegations travel to Cairo

The Israeli security cabinet was set to convene on Tuesday evening to discuss the situation of the hostage deal negotiations with Hamas, which have started again after the terror group rejected the proposal presented last week.

A senior Israeli official told Army Radio that the ministers would receive an update about the talks. The meeting was to include discussions about the continuation of the fighting in Gaza, including the possibility of escalating the offensive.

Meanwhile, the Qatari al-Araby al-Jadeed news outlet, citing an Egyptian source, reported that an Israeli delegation was sent to Cairo to try and find a way to get the stalled negotiations back on track.

The team arrived on Sunday evening and on Monday met with a mediation team of the Egyptian intelligence apparatus, according to the report.

However, Israeli officials denied that a delegation traveled to Cairo while talking to Kan Reshet Bet Radio, but confirmed that negotiations continue.

The Saudi al-Arabiya channel reported that a high-level Hamas delegation, including senior official Khalil al-Hayya, would also travel from Qatar to Cairo to continue the talks.

A senior Hamas official told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that the delegation from the organization left for Egypt to discuss “new ideas” for a calm in the Gaza Strip.

It was Hayya who publicly rejected the latest deal proposal last week, calling it a “partial deal” while continuing to insist on a complete end to the war.

The talks are now said to focus on a broader agreement that could see a years-long ceasefire, including a Hamas guarantee to stop military activities, a complete IDF withdrawal, and the exchange of all remaining hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Israel has so far rejected out of hand any demand that would leave Hamas in power in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Times of Israel, Egypt has been leading the mediation effort in recent weeks, rather than its co-mediators from Qatar. This has been a result of U.S. and Israeli pressure, an Israeli official said, believing that Cairo could pressure Hamas more effectively than Qatar.

Egyptian sources told al-Araby al-Jadeed that under the newest proposal, Hamas indicated readiness to lay down its arms and store them in a secured warehouse, while surrendering control over Gaza to a governing committee and forces of the Palestinian Authority.

However, Hamas still doesn’t agree to completely surrender all its weapons and leave the Gaza Strip, while Israel insists on the terror group’s removal or complete destruction.

There has been no official Israeli comment on the reported new deal proposal.