Israel’s bombardment of Gaza continued on Sunday, killing 63 people in the last 24 hours, even as negotiators arrived in Cairo for new peace talks. The goal — to discuss Donald Trump’s plan to end the long Gaza war and secure the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas.
According to Egypt’s foreign ministry, Monday’s talks will focus on the first phase of Trump’s proposal. This includes releasing 48 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. The United States envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to join the discussions along with Israeli officials and a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau.
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said the Cairo talks will last “a few days maximum.”
Late Sunday, Trump claimed progress was being made quickly. “I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” he wrote on social media, adding that the first phase “should be completed this week.”
If successful, the hostage-prisoner exchange would trigger an immediate ceasefire, Trump said. Hamas partially accepted his plan on Friday, raising hope that the nearly two-year-long conflict could finally end.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Cairo talks “the closest we’ve come to getting all the hostages released.” But he warned that logistical issues could still delay the deal. He said the biggest challenge would be forming a technocratic government to replace Hamas in Gaza. Still, he stressed that the current priority is freeing the hostages and moving Israeli troops back to agreed lines.
Under Trump’s Gaza plan, Hamas would release all hostages within 72 hours and hand over control of Gaza to a U.S.-led transnational authority. In exchange, Israel would gradually withdraw its forces and free over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The deal would also unlock humanitarian aid and funds for rebuilding Gaza, where famine has taken hold in several areas.
Trump even shared a map of Gaza on Saturday night, showing Israel’s planned troop withdrawal lines — between 2 km and 4 km deep inside the territory. He said once Hamas agreed to those lines, the ceasefire would begin immediately.
However, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that troops would remain in much of Gaza “regardless of any deal.”
Despite this, optimism for peace is rising worldwide. Leaders from the West and Arab nations are urging both sides to finalize the deal. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz called Netanyahu on Sunday, describing the Trump plan as “the best chance for peace.”
A senior Hamas official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the group is “very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and begin the prisoner exchange immediately.”
But Trump warned Hamas in an interview with CNN that if it refused to cooperate, it would face “complete obliteration.” He also said Netanyahu had agreed to end Israel’s ongoing assault once a deal was signed.
Still, the bombardment of Gaza continued through Sunday. At least eight people died in Gaza City from airstrikes, while four more were killed in the south while trying to receive aid.
“While certain bombings have stopped, there’s no ceasefire yet,” Bedrosian confirmed.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, 67,139 people have been killed and around 170,000 injured since Israel’s military operation began. Roughly half of those killed were women and children. Israel launched the campaign after a Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages.
Meanwhile, several human rights groups, a UN inquiry, and the world’s top genocide scholars have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza — an allegation Israel strongly denies, saying it acts purely in self-defense.
As diplomats gather in Cairo, the world watches closely. Whether Trump’s plan can end the bloodshed — or spark new political tensions — will become clear in the days ahead.