Overview

• Negotiators convened in Sharm el-Sheikh/Cairo under Egyptian and Qatari mediation, with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff participating.
• Egyptian media reported a positive first day as teams worked on names and logistics for exchanges, and President Trump said Hamas has agreed to key elements.
• The initial stage under discussion would exchange roughly 47–48 hostages, about 20 believed alive, for up to about 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including around 250 serving life terms.
• Major hurdles remain unresolved, including Hamas disarmament, assurances and timelines for Israeli troop withdrawal, and the composition of an interim technocratic administration in Gaza.
• Hostilities continued despite U.S. calls for a pause, with Israeli strikes reported and Gaza authorities citing more than 67,000 dead, while Israel says it may allow brief pauses before any formal truce.