Hamas After Its Delegation Arrives in Cairo: “We Are Positive About Any Proposals”
Hamas Delegation, Led by Khalil al-Hayya, Engages in Talks with Egyptian and Qatari Mediators to Reach Ceasefire and Release Agreement
Watan-A high-level leadership delegation from Hamas, led by Khalil al-Hayya, a member of the movement’s leadership council and head of its office in Gaza, arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday. The delegation is set to discuss a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and negotiate a new deal for the release of prisoners. Hamas stated it is “positive” about any proposals that guarantee a permanent ceasefire.
The delegation is scheduled to meet with Major General Hassan Rashad, head of Egypt’s General Intelligence Directorate, in the coming hours. They will review the results of recent discussions between Egyptian officials and U.S. and Israeli representatives about the release of Israeli prisoners, the ceasefire, aid access, and opening border crossings.
In a statement, Hamas said its delegation was in Cairo in response to an Egyptian invitation. They will meet and continue discussions with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, aiming to reach an agreement to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza. The statement emphasized that Hamas is “positive” about any proposal that ensures a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people, and reaching a serious prisoner exchange deal.
Hamas Releases Video of Israeli Soldier as Prisoner Exchange Talks Advance
Ahead of the delegation’s arrival, Hamas released a video of Israeli soldier Idan Alexander, who holds U.S. citizenship. His case is of great importance to the U.S. administration, and direct talks have taken place between U.S. hostages envoy Adam Boehler and Hamas leadership in Doha.
This development comes at a time when U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witikoff recently informed the families of Israeli captives in Gaza that “a very serious deal is under discussion” and that “it will be just a matter of days.” According to Hebrew media outlet Walla, the prevailing understanding is that former U.S. President Donald Trump has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu only a few weeks to continue fighting before pushing for a ceasefire and a comprehensive deal.
Meanwhile, Hebrew Channel 13 reported that shortly after Netanyahu returned from his brief visit to Washington, the Israeli Cabinet ministers met to discuss the developments of the trip, without the security establishment heads present. The discussions focused on the results of Netanyahu’s urgent visit to the U.S. Netanyahu and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, who oversees the negotiations, told Cabinet members that “there have been changes and progress in Hamas’s position regarding a new deal.”
Netanyahu and Dermer stated that proposals are being worked on between the U.S. and Egypt, which are approaching a deal Israel can potentially agree to. These proposals concern the number of living Israeli captives to be released, as well as the number of Palestinian prisoners to be freed as part of the exchange deal. A political source speaking to Channel 13, without being named, said the ongoing negotiations are developing toward a tangible proposal that includes the release of more than five living captives.
Hamas: Prisoner Release for Ceasefire
Hamas, in a statement, made the situation clear: “Release of prisoners in exchange for stopping the war.” It added, “The world accepts this, but [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu rejects it,” stressing that any delay means more killing of unarmed civilians in Gaza and an uncertain fate for the Israeli prisoners.
The statement continued: “The rising calls within Israel to end the war and free the prisoners confirm Netanyahu’s responsibility for prolonging the war and the suffering of his prisoners and our people.” It emphasized that “the blood of Gaza’s children and Israeli prisoners are the victims of Netanyahu’s ambitions to remain in power and escape prosecution.”
Since the resumption of the Israeli military’s genocide campaign on Gaza on March 18, 2025, the toll of martyrs and injuries has reached 1,542 martyrs and 3,940 injuries, according to the latest statistics from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
On Friday, the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, tasked with following up on developments in Gaza, held a meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum in Turkey. This meeting is part of ongoing efforts to implement the outcomes of the recent Arab Summit held in Cairo on March 4. According to Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, urged Israel to adhere to its commitments under the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. He added that “Egyptian-Qatari efforts are continuing daily to broker a prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel.”
