Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Thursday that a delegation from the group would soon visit Egypt to continue indirect negotiations with Israel aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Haniyeh conveyed this information during a phone call with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. According to a statement from Hamas, as reported by Anadolu Agency, Haniyeh informed Kamel that a delegation would return to Egypt shortly to continue talks “with the aim of reaching an agreement that meets the demands of our people and stops the aggression.”
Haniyeh also spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, agreeing to continue discussions aimed at reaching a ceasefire deal “that meets the demands of our people and ends the aggression against them,” according to another statement from Hamas.
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been taking place in Egypt and Qatar with the goal of reaching a deal that could involve a prisoner exchange, potentially leading to a ceasefire in Gaza. Israel believes that more than 130 Israelis are held in Gaza, while it holds around 9,100 Palestinians in its prisons.
Israel has killed 34,600 Palestinians and over 77,700 were injured, along with widespread destruction and shortages of essential supplies.
After more than six months of genocide, large areas of Gaza are in ruins, causing 85% of the enclave’s population to be internally displaced amid severe shortages of food, water, and medicine due to a blockade, according to the UN.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which issued an interim ruling in January calling on Tel Aviv to cease genocidal acts and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza’s civilians.