A delegation from Gaza war mediator Egypt arrived in Israel on Friday for a bid to reignite stalled ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Israeli and Egyptian media reported.
The signs of fresh truce talks come alongside Israeli preparations for a military push in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, and with spillover from the war leading to stepped-up exchanges of fire over Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
There has been “noticeable progress in bringing the views of the Egyptian and Israeli delegations closer,” said Al-Qahera News, which is linked to Egyptian state intelligence services.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to achieve a ceasefire for the war in Gaza without success since a one-week halt to the fighting in November. The truce saw the exchange of 80 Israeli captives in return for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Several Israeli media outlets, citing unnamed officials, said on Friday that Israel’s war cabinet discussed a new plan for a truce and hostage release ahead of the Egyptian delegation’s visit. Top Arab and European officials are expected to hold talks about Gaza, including about a potential truce, in Saudi Arabia’s capital on Monday.
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock are expected to attend the Riyadh meeting, which is also set to feature newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa.
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