While Qatar, the United States and Egypt are trying to secure an agreement providing for a truce between Israel and Hamas, a delegation from Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement which rules the Gaza enclave, was to go on Saturday to Cairo.
This is what a source close to this movement told AFP.
The talks focus on a six-week truce combined with a release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
US President Joe Biden initially expressed his “hope” regarding the signing of an agreement by Monday before reversing this assertion.
On Friday, he said he "hoped" that a ceasefire in Gaza could be achieved by Ramadan, the Muslim holy month which is due to begin on March 10 or 11.
“We might not succeed,” he warned, however.
The source close to Hamas, who requested anonymity, indicated that the Palestinian movement delegation would "meet with the Egyptians overseeing the ceasefire negotiations in order to follow the development of discussions aimed at interrupting the (Israeli) offensive and war and to reach an agreement on a hostage exchange.”
Read alsoRelease of hostages in Gaza: Hamas would have made significant concessions, Israel continues discussions
Earlier this week, a source close to Hamas indicated that the Islamist movement offered to release one hostage per day for 42 days in exchange for 10 Palestinian prisoners for each hostage.
Around 250 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza during the unprecedented October 7 Hamas attack in Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official data. Israelis.
According to the Israeli authorities, 130 hostages are still being held there, 31 of whom are believed to have died, after the release of 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinians during a first truce at the end of November.
In retaliation for the October 7 attack, Israel vowed to annihilate Hamas and its military offensive left more than 30,000 dead in Gaza, the vast majority civilians, according to the Hamas health ministry.
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According to the source close to the Islamist movement, the latter also demands the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced Gazans to the north of the territory and the entry of humanitarian aid for the population threatened with famine, in the framework of negotiations on a truce.