Hamas leader Haniyeh arrives in Cairo reportedly to discuss hostage release deal

The leader of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh landed in Cairo on Wednesday to talk about the ongoing war in Gaza with officials from the Egyptian government.

Haniyeh is scheduled to meet with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel and other officials.

According to a Hamas source, the discussions will revolve around “stopping the aggression and the war to prepare an agreement for the release of prisoners.”

The source added that the talks will also focus on “the delivery of humanitarian aid, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip and the return of displaced persons to their towns and villages in the north.”

It is the second time that Haniyeh has visited Egypt since the Oct. 7 massacre in which Hamas murdered and raped residents in southern Israeli border communities, killing at least 1,200 and taking another 240 hostages into Gaza. It is estimated that 128 hostages remain in Gaza but unknown how many of them are alive.

It is widely expected that the talks will be focused on a possible ceasefire and a potential deal to, once again, exchange Israeli hostages with Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails. The proposals for a ceasefire had allegedly been discussed between Qatar and Israel with Reuters reporting that Israel was “insisting that women and infirm male hostages be included,” and that “Palestinians jailed for serious offenses could also be on the roster.”

However, an unnamed Israeli official said, “For the time being, it’s still negotiations. There is nothing final.”

According to Israeli news media, Israel wants a “humanitarian” deal, which will include both women and the elderly and those of all ages who are ill, whether physically or mentally. It is estimated that the group could number 30-40 hostages.  

In return, Israel appears willing to negotiate the number of days that a ceasefire will last and also the category of Palestinian security prisoners it is prepared to release in exchange for the Israeli hostages.

Part of the deal may reportedly include Israel expanding humanitarian zones and the amount of aid allowed into Gaza.

Israel's Channel 12 news added that the deal could also include “a certain concession on the military front” but the details were censored by the military censor.

An unnamed senior Israeli official said the Israeli government is willing to stretch far to secure the return of the hostages.

“Israel is willing to go a long way to return the hostages. The deal, if it goes through, will be difficult and will demand heavy prices. It’s still a long way off and it’s not certain it will succeed. In any case, the ball is currently in the mediators’ court,” the Israeli official said.

On Monday evening, Hamas published a new propaganda video with three elderly Israeli hostages. The video was described as “atrocious terror,” by IDF Spokesman Brig-Gen. Daniel Hagari.

“It shows the cruelty of Hamas against elderly civilians, innocents, who require medical attention,” Hagari said during his daily press briefing on Tuesday. “The world must work to allow medical aid and to verify their condition.”

On Tuesday evening, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror (PIJ) group released a video with two other male hostages, Gadi Mozes, 79, and Elad Katzir, 47, from Kibbutz Nir Oz. The two Israeli men urged the Israeli government to secure their release from captivity in Gaza.