Gaza truce mediators discuss next phase of ceasefire in Cairo as Hamas hands over captive remains

Delegations from mediators Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar, along with the United States, met in Cairo to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Egyptian media reported.

Al-Qahera News reported that the meeting on Tuesday included the Egyptian and Turkish intelligence chiefs alongside the prime minister of Qatar.

The delegates discussed working with the US "to ensure the successful implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement" between Israel and Hamas.

Türkiye’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, met with senior Qatari and Egyptian officials in Cairo to discuss the latest developments in Gaza.

Kalin held talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt's General Intelligence Service head Hassan Rashad.

Kalin reiterated that Türkiye would continue to stand with the Palestinian people with all its means.

Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, and the US act as both mediators and guarantors for the Gaza deal, which came into effect on October 10 after two years of Israel’s genocide.

Their meeting in Cairo came two days after a senior Hamas delegation met with Egyptian spy chief Hassan Rashad to discuss the second phase of the truce.

That phase concerns establishing a transitional authority and deploying an international stabilisation force to Gaza.

Israeli violations

According to Al-Qahera News, the meeting addressed "overcoming obstacles and limiting violations to ensure the ceasefire holds.”

Under the ceasefire agreement, 600 trucks of aid were supposed to enter Gaza daily.

However, Israel is allowing no more than 200 aid trucks into Gaza per day

Israel has not adhered to the agreement, launching almost daily attacks that have killed at least 342 Palestinians since October 10.

"During the meeting, they also agreed to continue strengthening coordination and cooperation with the Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) to eliminate all obstacles to ensure the continuity of the ceasefire and to prevent further violations," a source familiar with the meeting told Reuters, adding that the mediators also discussed countering Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Captive remains

Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas handed over the remains of another Israeli captive to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza under a ceasefire deal.

Israel also confirmed that the ICRC had received the remains of an Israeli captive from Hamas in southern Gaza.

Israel has tied the start of negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire to the handover of all the hostage remains.

For every captive body, Israel is to hand over the remains of 15 Palestinians.

Israel has killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and wounded over 170,700 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.

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Source: TRT