Israel and Hamas set for US-backed Cairo talks on Trump’s Gaza peace plan: 10 things you need to know

Israel and Hamas are set to begin high-stakes negotiations in Cairo on Monday, with U.S. and Egyptian mediation, in what could be the most advanced push yet to end a two-year Gaza war that has killed tens of thousands and shaken the Middle East. The talks, centered on Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, come as both sides weigh a proposed hostage-prisoner swap and a possible Israeli troop withdrawal, even as heavy bombardments continue in Gaza.

Here are the 10 things you need to know.

1. Egypt hosts delegations

Egypt confirmed it will host delegations from Israel, Hamas, the U.S., and Qatar for the negotiations. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will represent Israel, while Hamas is sending Ghazi Hamad, Osama Hamdan and Muhamed Darwish.

2. Trump hails Hamas offer

US President Donald Trump welcomed Hamas’s move to engage with his 20-point peace plan.

“When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

3. US envoys to join talks

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff are joining the talks in Cairo, underlining Washington’s direct involvement in what is described as the most advanced effort yet to halt the war.

4. Netanyahu cautious but hopeful

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the emerging deal a step forward but warned it wasn’t final.

“I hope that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, we can announce the return of all of our hostages,” Netanyahu said.

5. Ongoing strikes in Gaza

Despite the diplomacy, Israeli airstrikes and shelling continued across Gaza on Sunday, killing at least 16 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. Hamas said bombardments in Gaza City killed dozens more.

6. Key sticking points

Hamas has agreed to discuss withdrawal and exchanges but remains non-committal on disarmament. Senior official Musa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera: “On the day that a sovereign Palestinian state is created it won’t be an armed movement and it will hand over its weapons to this state.”

7. Hostage and prisoner exchange

Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, around 20 of them alive. A swap would take place immediately after agreement. Hamas, however, insists the handover will depend on “necessary field conditions.”

8. Israeli politics in play

Netanyahu faces pressure from both sides. Hostage families and opposition leaders urge him to end the war, while far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if fighting stops. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned halting attacks would be a “grave mistake.”

9. Signs of economic optimism

Markets reacted positively to progress in talks. The shekel hit a three-year high against the dollar, and Tel Aviv stocks touched an all-time high, signaling investor confidence in a potential deal.

10. Heavy human toll

The war began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, more than 67,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, according to local health authorities, while Israel has lost over 450 soldiers.