US envoys, regional leaders join fresh round of Israel-Hamas talks in Egypt

New Delhi, Oct 8: Senior US envoys and key Middle Eastern figures have gathered in Egypt for a third day of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, as efforts intensify to advance President Donald Trump’s new plan to end the Gaza war, reports BBC.

Trump’s son-in-law and former Middle East adviser Jared Kushner and businessman Steve Witkoff arrived in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh early Wednesday to take part in the talks, which resumed at 11:00 local time, reports BBC.

They were joined by Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani and Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, with the discussions expected to mark a decisive stage in testing whether progress toward a ceasefire and hostage deal is possible.

A senior Hamas official told the BBC the group had “shown the necessary positivity” and submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants Israel to release in exchange for 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza, about 20 of whom are believed to be alive.  The list reportedly includes high-profile figures such as Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat, both serving long prison sentences in Israel.

Israeli media quoted officials expressing “cautious optimism,” while Trump himself said, “There’s a real chance that we could do something.” Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is expected to join the negotiations later on Wednesday.