A Hamas delegation is set to travel to Cairo on Sunday for further negotiations regarding the release of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire in Gaza. The delegation, led by senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya, has stated that they will maintain their stance presented on March 14, which includes demands for a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of internally displaced Palestinians to their homes, the free movement of people throughout the enclave, and a 'proper' prisoner-hostage swap deal.
Despite Israel's latest counterproposal being turned down by Hamas, which was described as 'delusional' by Israeli officials, the group remains firm on their demands. Israeli political and military leaders have reiterated that the elimination of Hamas is the ultimate objective of the Gaza offensive.
In a significant development, it has been reported that the CIA director and the heads of Israel's intelligence agencies are also scheduled to travel to Egypt for talks this weekend. CIA Director Bill Burns, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar were part of the previous round of discussions in Doha, Qatar, which did not result in a substantial breakthrough.
