Netanyahu Announces Sending Israeli Negotiation Team to Cairo
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that an Israeli negotiation team will be dispatched to Cairo on Monday. The purpose of this visit is to further discuss the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the team aims to negotiate the continuation of the ceasefire’s initial phase. Last Saturday, the sixth batch of this phase concluded with Hamas and Islamic Jihad releasing three Israeli hostages, in exchange for Israel freeing 369 Palestinian prisoners.
Since the ceasefire began, 19 Israeli hostages and 5 Thai workers have been released, in exchange for over 1,100 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, including dozens serving life sentences. The first phase, which started on January 19 and lasts for 42 days, stipulates the release of 33 Israeli hostages (at least eight of whom are confirmed dead) in return for Israel freeing 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
Per Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, after this exchange, 73 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza. Originally, negotiations for the second phase of the agreement were supposed to start on February 3, but Netanyahu sent a delegation without full authority to Doha, leading to delays.
On the Hamas side, a senior official told AFP that the movement expects to begin talks for the second phase next week, with mediators continuing discussions. Tahar Al-Nono emphasized Hamas’s commitment to implementing the exchange deal and all terms of the agreement, which aims to halt the 15-month devastating war in Gaza.
Earlier on Sunday, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that the Gaza ceasefire agreement holds, and current discussions focus on advancing to the next phase and ensuring the release of all hostages. Speaking to Fox News, Witkoff noted that while the second phase is more complex, his communications with regional officials are constructive.
