Overview

• Delegations launched indirect negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh and Cairo with Egypt mediating and U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff on site.
• Both sides signaled acceptance of the plan’s core principles, with Hamas indicating readiness to free the remaining hostages as details are hammered out.
• The initial exchange under discussion would trade roughly 48 hostages for about 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including some serving life terms, though Israel resists releasing certain high-profile inmates.
• Key sticking points persist over Hamas disarmament, timelines for Israeli withdrawal, and a post-war administration for Gaza that excludes Hamas under the U.S. framework.
• Washington urged pauses in Israeli strikes to enable safe transfers; residents reported reduced but ongoing bombardment with new deaths recorded, and Israel said operations could resume if talks fail.