Israeli negotiators in Cairo for talks on Gaza hostages: PM office

JERUSALEM

Israeli negotiators are in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian officials regarding the release of hostages held in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Sunday.

“The negotiating team is now meeting in Egypt with senior Egyptian officials to discuss the issue of the hostages,” a statement said.

There was no immediate comment from Egyptian authorities.

The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner-hostage exchange agreement, beginning on Jan. 19, concluded early March, but Israel has so far refused to proceed with the second phase.

Israel has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and left the enclave in ruins.

Netanyahu’s office late Saturday said he instructed the negotiating team to prepare for talks based on the mediators’ response to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal "for the immediate release of 11 living hostages and half of the deceased hostages."

However, Israeli Channel 12 and other Israeli media outlets reported a different version of the proposal. According to their sources, Witkoff’s plan includes the release of five living captives — including Israeli-American soldier Aidan Alexander — and the bodies of 10 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a halt in military operations lasting between 42 and 50 days, during which negotiations would continue on ending the war permanently.

Hamas on Friday said it accepted a mediator-backed proposal to release the Israeli-American soldier and the bodies of four dual-national captives.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu on Sunday announced his decision to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, citing a lack of trust between them.

“I have decided to propose to the government the dismissal of Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released by his office.

“At all times, and especially during an existential war like this, there must be complete trust between the prime minister and the head of Shin Bet,” he added.

“Unfortunately, the opposite is true — I no longer have that trust,” Netanyahu said.

Tensions between Netanyahu and the Shin Bet escalated in recent days following the agency’s internal investigation into the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Netanyahu dismissed the report’s findings, saying they failed to answer key questions.

The security service acknowledged its failure to assess Hamas’ capabilities before the attack, but said Netanyahu’s policies were also among the underlying causes of the attack.