The much awaited negotiation talks began in Egypt on Monday in order to ensure a ceasefire in war-ravaged Gaza between Israel and Hamas and end the two year old war and free the remaining hostages that has seen over 67,000 deaths in Palestine. As per Egypt’s state-owned Al-Qahera news, the talks began with a meeting between Arab mediators and the Hamas delegation. The network stated that Arab mediators would meet the Israeli delegation after completing talks with Hamas. It added that Egypt and Qatari mediators would discuss the outcome of their meetings with both the parties, ahead of the talks being joined by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, NBC News reported. During a press briefing on Monday, US President Donald Trump said, “I really think we’re going to have a deal. We have a really good chance of making a deal, and it will be a lasting deal.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the president wants to see a ceasefire and the militant group release hostages in a perfect environment. Leavitt added that the technical teams are going over the lists of both the Israeli hostages and political prisoners who will be released. Who are the leaders negotiating Gaza peace talks in Egypt United States: The United States-led by President Trump has sent his son-in-law Jared Kushner and senior Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to Egypt to begin ceasefire negotiations, the White House has said. The envoys are expected to finalise technical details of the hostage release and discuss a ceasefire that could last longer, a White House official said. Kushner and Witkoff are in Egypt to hammer out the deal’s remaining sticking points. Hamas: The Hamas delegation to Egypt is being led by militant groups senior official Khalil Al-Hayya, whom Israel tried to assassinate when the Hamas delegation was visiting Qatar’s capital Doha last month for negotiations. In the wake of the Qatar strike, Israeli President Isaac Herzog described Al-Hayya as a “murderous terrorist”. Hamas, in a statement on Monday, said that Al-Hayya along with the group's delegation arrived in Egypt early on Monday. Israel: Israel’s delegation to Egypt is being led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who is an outgoing minister and “will soon finish his role” as a minister in the government, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said. Dermer, who is considered a close aide of the prime minister, would continue to remain involved in several unspecified matters, Netanyahu said. Since February, Dermer has led the Israeli negotiating team for hostage release and ceasefire deal with Hamas, Times of Israel reported.
