Palestinians carrying bags return from a food distribution point managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the United States and Israel, near the Netsarim corridor in central Gaza Strip, on Oct. 5, 2025. (Credit: Eyad Baba/AFP)
A senior Hamas official said Sunday that the Palestinian Islamist movement is keen to reach an agreement to end the war and to "immediately" begin a prisoner exchange with Israel.
Israeli and Hamas negotiators are set to iron out the details during talks scheduled Sunday in Egypt, aimed at ending nearly two years of conflict in the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas is keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately launch the prisoner exchange process based on the conditions on the ground," said the senior official from the organization, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"The occupation must not obstruct the implementation of President Trump’s plan. If the occupation has real intentions to reach a deal, Hamas is ready," the official added.
Hamas negotiators from Doha are expected to arrive Sunday in Cairo before heading to Sharm al-Sheikh for indirect negotiations with the Israeli delegation, according to the senior official.
A Palestinian source close to Hamas told AFP that both delegations would be in the same building but away from the media.
"The talks aim to discuss the timeline for preparing the conditions on the ground for the transfer of captives held in Gaza as a prelude to launching the prisoner exchange process," the source added.
The same source said that in its communications with mediators, Hamas had insisted that Israel suspend all military operations across the Gaza Strip, cease all aerial activity, reconnaissance missions and drone flyovers, and withdraw from inside Gaza.
"In parallel with the halt to Israeli military activities, Hamas and the resistance factions will also suspend their military operations," the source added.
The discussions are also expected to include a review of maps provided by Israel showing the routes and timelines of withdrawal, which will coincide with the prisoner exchange process, according to the source.
The Hamas delegation will also present lists of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel in exchange for the Israeli captives.
Under Trump’s plan, Israel is to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and more than 1,700 detainees from Gaza arrested after Oct. 7, 2023, the date of the Hamas attack that triggered the ongoing war.
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