Oct. 5 (UPI) — Israel continued its airstrikes on Gaza on Sunday, even as negotiators headed to Egypt for talks on a U.S.-proposed peace plan that calls for Hamas to release all hostages and seeks new governance for the Palestinian territory.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Sunday that 63 Palestinians were killed and another 153 wounded in bombings carried out by Israeli forces in the last 24 hours, reported Haaretz. The strikes come despite Israeli officials agreeing to ease their offensive on Gaza City and President Donald Trump calling for the bombings to halt as his peace plan to end the two-year conflict is put to the test.
Israeli officials believe there are still 20 living hostages being kept in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas militants that triggered Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian enclave, which has drawn growing international condemnation.
Negotiations will begin Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, focusing on the first phase of the plan that calls for Hamas to release the remaining hostages and for Israel to withdraw its troops in Gaza to a line agreed upon with Hamas.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ABC News Sunday that “this is the closest we’ve come to getting all of the hostages released.”
“But there’s a lot of pitfalls along the way,” he added.
The initial talks will be “technical” and will focus on working out specific details of the negotiation’s first phase, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said in a video posted to X.
But she added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the talks will last for just a few days and he will not tolerate Hamas attempting to delay the release of all hostages past the 72-hour deadline.
“The prime minister is in regular contact with President Trump, who stressed Hamas must move quickly ‘or else all bets will be off,'” she said.
The Palestinian militant group signaled Friday that it was ready to release all Israeli hostages living and dead, but said it needed more than 72 hours to arrange their release.
Hamas is eager to end the conflict and begin a prisoner exchange with Israel, a senior Hamas official told the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. The official added that Israel’s occupation of Gaza must not obstruct the implementation of the peace plan.
President Donald Trump said in a social media post Sunday that there had been positive discussions with Hamas and other countries on ending the war.
“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” he said.