Hamas has indicated its willingness to release hostages under certain conditions but is expected to demand further concessions, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinian security prisoners.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the first stage of his proposed ceasefire and hostage-release deal should be completed quickly, as delegations from Israel and Hamas headed to Egypt to continue talks.
“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
It was not immediately clear what he meant by “first phase” or whether he was indicating that the release of hostages could begin this week.
“These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly,” Trump added, noting that “technical teams” would meet Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh to finalize remaining details.
He reiterated his warning to Hamas, declaring, “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE OR, MASSIVE BLOODSHED WILL FOLLOW — SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE!”
The American president said he would “continue to monitor this centuries-old conflict” as the next round of negotiations begins.
A Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday night to discuss Washington’s plan to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all 48 remaining hostages — at least 20 of them believed alive.
Israel’s delegation departed the same evening, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu worked to keep his coalition united behind Trump’s 20-point framework.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid has pledged to provide a “safety net” in the Knesset if Netanyahu’s coalition partners attempt to topple the government over the deal.
Hamas has indicated its willingness to release hostages under certain conditions but is expected to demand further concessions, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinian security prisoners.
Under Trump’s proposal, Israel would release 250 prisoners serving life sentences and more than 1,700 detainees captured after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
Disagreements persist over which prisoners would be freed, with Hamas reportedly insisting on the release of some of the most notorious terrorists in Israeli custody.
A Hamas source told Israel’s Channel 12 that the group “won’t give up” on those names “even at the cost of dooming the deal.”
The group confirmed its delegation had arrived in Egypt to negotiate “mechanisms for a ceasefire, withdrawal of occupation forces, and prisoner exchange.”
Despite those challenges, Trump maintained optimism, describing “very positive discussions” over the weekend between Hamas and regional intermediaries aimed at achieving the release of hostages, ending the war, and securing what he called “PEACE in the Middle East.”
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