Indirect peace talks between Israel, Hamas in Cairo on Sunday

Tel Aviv, Aug 24
The indirect peace talks between Israel and Hamas to bring about a ceasefire will commence in Cairo on Sunday.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns and White House Advisor for Middle East Affairs Bret McGurk will participate in the talks.

Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Major General Abbas Kamel will participate in the mediatory talks.

According to Arab media reports, Egyptian President Abdrl Fattaah El-Sissi, in his telephonic talk with US President Joe Biden, stressed the need for Israel to be more flexible for the ceasefire.

The reports stated that the Egyptian President had earlier told the US President about the demand for the total withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphi corridor and Netzarim corridor.

During a three-hour meeting with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv on August 19, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would withdraw troops from the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors.

However, while meeting with the families of the slain Israeli soldiers, PM Netanyahu said that Israel would not withdraw from these regions as it would lead to armed Hamas men crossing into Gaza and also smuggling arms.

Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar has directed his deputy Khalil al-Hayya and senior Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad who is based out of Beirut to participate in the indirect mediatory talks, Arab media reported.

Meanwhile, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum conducted massive protest marches to bring the hostages back home. The Forum conducted protests before the residence of PM Netanyahu to bring back the hostages who were in Hamas' custody in Gaza.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas men swarmed into Israel, brutally killed 1,200 people and held 251 people as hostages and dragged them to Gaza.

There are 111 hostages in the custody of Hamas but 39 of these hostages have died, according to the Israel government.