Trump hails 'very positive discussions with Hamas' as delegations prepare to meet in Egypt

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that ongoing negotiations with Hamas over his Gaza ceasefire proposal have been moving rapidly ahead of a critical meeting in Egypt.

"There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought peace in the Middle East," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to move fast," he added.

The US president said he would continue to monitor the situation, emphasizing that "time is of the essence or, massive bloodshed will follow."

Earlier Sunday, Hamas announced that a delegation from its leadership headed by Khalil al-Hayya, the Palestinian group’s exiled Gaza chief, arrived in Egypt "to begin talks on mechanisms for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a prisoner exchange."

It did not specify the duration of the visit or the details of the agenda, but the new round of talks comes amid intensifying regional and international efforts to end the nearly two-year-long Israeli war on Gaza.

Israel said earlier that a negotiating team will depart for Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for indirect prisoner exchange talks with Hamas under Trump’s Gaza plan.

On Sept. 29, Trump unveiled a 20-point plan which includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas and rebuilding of Gaza.

Hamas has agreed to the plan in principle, and talks for the next steps are due in Egypt.

The Israeli military has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and has led to mass displacement, starvation and the proliferation of disease.