Israel and Hamas set to negotiate Trump's peace plan this Monday - Bloomberg
Illustrative photo: Israel and Hamas may reach peace after prolonged Gaza conflict (Getty Images)
Israel and Hamas will begin talks on ending the war in the Gaza Strip on October 6, after the militant group said it is ready to release all Israeli hostages, reports Bloomberg.
Egypt will host delegations from both sides. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are already traveling there. The talks are expected to focus on exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel's delegation will include Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, while Hamas will be represented by Ghazi Hamad, Osama Hamdan, and Muhamed Darwish.
The first discussions will cover final agreements on releasing hostages and prisoners, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the first and easiest step, followed by talks on Gaza's reconstruction and, crucially, who will govern the region.
"That's the part that I think is going to be a little tougher to work through, but that’s what's going to provide permanency to the end of the conflict. So we're focused on those two phases," said Rubio.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the initial stage will involve exchanging Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, followed by disarming Hamas.
"I hope that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, we can announce the return of all of our hostages, alive and dead, in one single release," he added.
Trump's peace plan
On September 29, the US President unveiled a 20-point plan to end the conflict in Gaza. Under it, Israel would gradually withdraw its troops while Hamas releases hostages, paving the way for a new round of talks.
On October 4, at Trump's request, the Israeli army paused its offensive on Gaza, giving Hamas a final chance to accept the American peace plan.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces threats of a cabinet crisis if the peace deal promoted by Trump does not eliminate Hamas.
For more details on Trump's peace initiative and prospects for ending the war in the Gaza Strip, read RBC-Ukraine's report: "Trump's plan for Gaza: Can it end Israel-Hamas war?"
