The first round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, ended in a "positive atmosphere." Communication is expected to continue on October 7. Trump expressed hope that the parties would soon reach a deal, DW reports.
The first round of negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas, which are being conducted through intermediaries, has concluded in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. This was reported by Reuters on the night of Tuesday, October 7, citing a representative from the Palestinian side.
During the negotiations on October 6, Hamas outlined its vision for the procedure of releasing hostages, as well as the scale and timeline for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. The organization, which is recognized as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States, also expressed concern about whether Israel is truly committed to adhering to a permanent ceasefire and fully withdrawing its troops.
Nevertheless, the first round of negotiations ended in a "positive atmosphere," agencies dpa reported, citing Arab publications, and AFP reported, citing Egyptian state media. It is expected that the parties will continue their communication on October 7.
The Central Theme of the Negotiations - Trump's Peace Plan
The negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh began on October 6. The parties are primarily discussing a 20-point plan for ending the war in the Gaza Strip, which was proposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on September 29. Among other things, it includes the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from Palestinian territory. In return, Israel is to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences.
During a visit to Washington at the end of September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported Trump's plan. Partial agreement with the points proposed by the U.S. president was also given by representatives of Hamas in early October.
Trump: I Think We Will Make a Deal
In response to questions from a CNN journalist about the negotiations between Hamas and Israel, the U.S. president stated that the Palestinian side "agreed to very important things." "This is a deal that, strangely enough, everyone just came together on. <...> I really think we will make a deal," Trump noted.
Hamas's Attack on Israel and the Subsequent War in the Gaza Strip The Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, marked the beginning of an escalation in the Middle Eastern conflict. At that time, militants launched a rocket strike on Israel, invaded its territory, and carried out the most massive massacre of civilians in the history of the modern Israeli state, killing around 1,200 people. They also captured more than 250 hostages and transported them to the Gaza Strip. Some hostages were exchanged or released, while others were killed.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas. During this conflict, more than 67,000 Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip, and over 162,000 have been injured, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. However, it is not specified how this statistic is compiled. For example, it is unclear how many Islamist militants were among the dead, and whether deaths of Palestinians in hospitals from natural causes are included in this count.
