Gaza Deal: second phase talks started in Egypt

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Egypt announced the commencement of negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Cairo.

The Egyptian State Information Service stated that officials from Israel, Qatar, and the United States began "intensive discussions" on Thursday regarding the second phase of the ceasefire.

The discussions also include ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of civilians and support regional stability.

. According to the agreement, the ceasefire remains in effect while negotiations continue for the next phase. The launch of these talks aims to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire, which is set to expire on Saturday

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told reporters in Jerusalem on Thursday, that the Israeli delegation would travel to Cairo to explore whether there was common ground for negotiating an extension of the ceasefire. He added, "We said we are ready to extend the framework in exchange for the release of more hostages. We will do so if possible."

According to two government officials speaking to Reuters, Israel is seeking an extension of the first phase, with Hamas agreeing to release three hostages per week in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.