Israel to Send Delegation to Cairo for Hostage and Ceasefire Deal Talks

Israel will dispatch a working-group delegation to Cairo on Monday to continue negotiations regarding the ongoing Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal. The delegation, led by Brig.-Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, the Coordinator for Hostages and the Missing, and an official from the Shin Bet, will focus on the implementation of the first phase of the deal, which involves the release of the remaining six living hostages.

The decision to send the delegation comes after a phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Witkoff also spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Maj.-Gen. Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, head of the Egyptian intelligence agency. During these discussions, new ideas were suggested to help advance the hostage release deal.

Phase two of the deal, which involves more complex negotiations, was also discussed. Witkoff acknowledged that while it will be more challenging, discussions around phase two are underway. Israeli and US officials are working to expedite the release of hostages in phase one, with hopes to include more than the initially agreed-upon 33 hostages.

On Monday, Israel's security cabinet will meet to discuss the next steps in the hostage negotiations, and following that meeting, the Cairo team will receive further instructions on the continuation of the talks.