Donald Trump has urged negotiators to “move fast” as Gaza ceasefire talks begin in Egypt, focusing on the release of hostages held by Hamas and an end to the war. The talks follow a day in which Israel killed 63 people in Gaza.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said the discussions would centre on the first phase of Trump’s plan, which involves the release of the remaining 48 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. The US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to join the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, along with Israeli negotiators and a Palestinian delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya of Hamas.
Trump said the first phase “should be completed this week,” and his plan would see Hamas release all hostages within 72 hours, surrender ruling power to a transitional authority, and lay down arms. In return, Israel would gradually withdraw troops and release more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, alongside a surge of humanitarian aid.
Despite the optimism, Israel continued its strikes on Gaza, killing at least eight people in separate attacks. The Israeli government spokesperson said there was no ceasefire in place, though some bombings had stopped. The Gaza health ministry reports that at least 67,139 people have been killed since the start of the military campaign.
