Hamas delegation holds talks in Egypt on Gaza ceasefire implementation

GAZA CITY, Palestine

A Hamas delegation held talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal with Israel.

A statement by the group said the talks aim to follow up on the implementation of the deal through technical committees and mediators.

The discussions come amid diplomatic efforts by mediators Egypt and Qatar to salvage the agreement halting Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 48,200 people since Oct. 7, 2023 and left Gaza in ruins.

“High-level contacts are underway with the parties (Israel and Hamas) amid mounting US and Israeli pressure to resume military operations if the hostages are not returned by Saturday,” a high-level Egyptian source said early Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Tuesday evening to end the Gaza ceasefire deal if Hamas failed to release captives by Saturday noon.

The threat came one day after Hamas said that it would delay the next hostage release in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Local Palestinian authorities have listed a series of Israeli violations of the deal, including the shooting of civilians and denying access to relief materials, including tents and caravans for displaced civilians in Gaza.

Under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.