Khaberni - In a scenario where political calculations are intertwined with time pressure, attention turns to the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, which is hosting important meetings between delegations from Hamas and Israel to discuss mechanisms for implementing the first phase of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.
These indirect negotiations, mediated by Egyptians, come amidst cautious global anticipation, where Trump earlier stated that "time is the most expensive price in this war".
This morning, the Israeli delegation responsible for the prisoners' files arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh, including the Coordinator of Prisoners and Missing Persons Gal Hirsch, along with high-level officials from the Shin Bet and Mossad.
However, Israel's Channel 14 reported that the Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, as well as Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will not join the delegation until actual progress is made in the hostage release file.
On the other hand, a delegation from Hamas, led by Khalil al-Hayya, held preparatory meetings with officials from the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, presenting a series of concerns about the possibility of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's withdrawal or non-compliance with the terms of the plan, emphasizing the necessity of clear guarantees and monitoring mechanisms to ensure full implementation of the agreement.
Components of the First Phase
The first phase of the plan, as leaked, includes the release of all Israeli detainees in Gaza in exchange for about two thousand Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences.
It also stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from areas in the sector to what is called "the yellow line," which Trump drew on his proposed map, with a ceasefire coming into effect immediately after the exchange of prisoners.
However, Hamas has informed the mediators in advance that it needs more time to gather the hostages and bodies, while Israel refuses to include prominent Palestinian leaders such as Marwan Barghouti, Ahmed Sa'adat, and Abdullah Barghouti in the release lists, posing early obstacles to the start of implementation.
