WASHINGTON, Oct 6: US President Donald Trump has urged all sides to act quickly as indirect peace talks between Israel and Hamas are set to begin in Cairo on Monday, the BB reported.
The negotiations follow Hamas’ partial acceptance of a US-backed 20-point plan aimed at halting the conflict in Gaza. The plan includes freeing some hostages and transferring governance of Gaza to a technocratic Palestinian administration, though Hamas has sought more negotiation on key issues. The group avoided addressing demands for disarmament or exclusion from Gaza’s future administration, both central to Israel’s expectations, according to the BBC.
Trump has described the progress so far as encouraging, claiming on social media that talks had been “very successful” and predicting the first stage of the plan could conclude this week.
He pressed negotiators to accelerate the process, warning that “time is of the essence or massive bloodshed will follow.” Earlier, he told reporters he believed hostages could begin to be released “very soon.” When asked if his plan allowed for revisions, Trump insisted it already had broad support, calling it “a great deal for Israel, a great deal for the Arab and Muslim world, and a great deal for the world,” the BBC said.
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Despite Trump’s direct call for Israel to stop its air campaign, Israeli forces have continued striking targets in Gaza. An Israeli government spokesperson, Shosh Bedrosian, acknowledged that some bombings had ceased but stressed that no formal ceasefire existed.
She explained that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized defensive actions whenever Israeli troops faced threats, the BBC added.
Residents of Gaza reported continued bombardments and tank fire overnight into Sunday, destroying several residential areas in Gaza City. A BBC correspondent on the border at Kibbutz Be’eri witnessed explosions and rising smoke, while Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said 65 more people were killed in Israeli attacks within 24 hours, the BBC said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with CBS News that bombing must pause if hostages are to be safely released. “You can’t release hostages while bombardments are still ongoing,” Rubio explained, while adding that negotiations would still require careful logistical arrangements. He reiterated Washington’s position that getting hostages out remains an urgent priority, according to the BBC.
The American peace proposal outlines an immediate end to hostilities, alongside the release of 48 hostages. Of those, only around 20 are thought to still be alive. In exchange, hundreds of Palestinian detainees held in Israel would be freed.
Netanyahu, in a televised speech, said he expected to confirm hostage releases “in the coming days.” His spokesperson later clarified that negotiations would be kept to a strict timeframe of just a few days under the framework agreed with Trump. Netanyahu also directed his delegation to leave for Cairo on Monday to participate in the critical talks, the BBC noted.
Hamas is sending a delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya, its chief negotiator, who survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Doha last month.
The United States will be represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Qatar, a key mediator, will send Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Observers say this round of talks may prove among the most decisive since the war began, with the potential to establish a concrete path to ending the violence if agreements can be reached, the BBC reported.
For many Palestinians, Hamas’ willingness to engage with parts of Trump’s proposal came as a surprise. In recent days, the group had signaled resistance and was expected to issue strong conditions before even partial acceptance. The shift in tone has raised hopes, though significant hurdles remain. Much depends on whether both sides make concessions in Cairo, where discussions are expected to be intense and highly consequential for the future of Gaza and the wider region, according to the BBC.
