Hamas, Israel Exchange Hostage and Prisoner Lists Amid Ceasefire Talks in Egypt

CAIRO, Oct 8 :Senior Hamas official Taher Al-Nounou confirmed on Wednesday that Hamas and Israeli negotiators have exchanged lists of hostages and prisoners as part of ongoing ceasefire discussions in Egypt, raising hopes for a potential breakthrough in the Gaza conflict.

Speaking from Cairo, Al-Nounou said the talks have been marked by “positivity and determination” from the Hamas side, emphasizing the group’s commitment to reaching a fair and lasting agreement. The negotiations, currently taking place in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, involve indirect communication between Hamas and Israel.

The discussions are being held under a 20-point peace framework proposed by US President Donald Trump last month, which outlines a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, Hamas’s gradual disarmament, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Türkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Trump’s senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are attending the negotiations, alongside Egyptian mediators.

“There’s a real chance that we could do something,” President Trump told reporters in Washington on Tuesday. “I think there’s a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East something even beyond the Gaza situation. We want a release of the hostages immediately.”

Hamas’s top negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya said the group is seeking firm guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries to ensure that the war will end “once and for all” if a deal is reached.

According to a Palestinian source close to the talks, Tuesday’s session focused on “initial maps presented by the Israeli side” outlining withdrawal areas, along with the timeline and mechanism for implementing the hostage-prisoner exchange.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty confirmed that US representatives Witkoff and Kushner were due to arrive in Egypt on Wednesday to continue facilitating the process.

Meanwhile, global pressure on both parties has intensified. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations erupted across several countries over the weekend  including Italy, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom demanding an immediate end to the war and recognition of a Palestinian state.

The ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,160 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry, figures deemed credible by the United Nations.

As the ceasefire talks enter their third day, observers say this marks one of the most serious diplomatic pushes in months to halt the bloodshed and bring relief to Gaza’s war-ravaged population.

— Voice of Malaysia News