Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 6 (Xinhua) Egyptian security sources confirmed to Xinhua News Agency on the evening of the 5th that the delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) arrived in Egypt on the same day and will hold indirect negotiations with the Israeli delegation in Sharm el-Sheikh, a coastal city of the Red Sea, on the 6th. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said on the evening of the 5th that the Israeli delegation will leave on the 6th.

In many European countries, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets, demanding that Israel immediately stop its military operations in the Gaza Strip and release the personnel of the "Global Fortitude Flotilla" transporting humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip.

Incoming indirect negotiations

According to Egyptian security sources, as a mediator, the Egyptian side will first meet with the Hamas delegation and then meet with the Israeli delegation.The results of the talks will be submitted to them after the arrival of U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Witkov and President Trump's son-in-law Kushner in Egypt.

The source disclosed that the negotiations will focus on the preliminary implementation of Trump's "20-point plan" for ceasefire and post-war arrangements in the Gaza Strip, arrangements for exchanging detainees between Hamas and Israel, and weapons transfer mechanisms related to Hamas disarmament.

On October 4, families of the detainees and people supporting the ceasefire held a march and rally in Tel Aviv, Israel, demanding that the government quickly achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and allow the detainees to return home. Xinhua Agency (Photo by Jill Cohen Magan)

Hamas issued a statement on the 5th, saying that the Hamas delegation arrived in Egypt that night and will start negotiations with the Israeli delegation on reaching a ceasefire mechanism in the Gaza Strip, Israeli troop withdrawal and the exchange of detainees. The statement said the delegation was led by Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Haya.

Israeli far-right ministers ease ceasefire

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office issued a statement on the evening of the 5th, saying that the Israeli delegation will leave for Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on the 6th. Israeli media reported that two far-right ministers in the Israeli cabinet had "let go" of the first phase of negotiations.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated in a statement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had formally instructed that the Israeli delegation be led by Minister of Strategic Affairs Delmer and set off on the morning of the 6th. Israeli media previously reported that Dermer would only fly to Egypt when there was progress in the negotiations.

On September 29, at the White House in Washington, DC, US President Trump (left) welcomed visiting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Hu Yousong

Netanyahu advocated in a statement on the 4th that around the "20-point plan" proposed by the United States, the negotiations started on the 6th aimed at implementing the first phase of the plan, which involved Hamas releasing all detained Israeli personnel and the "redeployment" of Israel Defense Forces troops. The second phase was mainly the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli TV channel 12 told sources informed that he met Netanyahu with national security minister Ben-Gevre and finance minister Smotrich on Thursday, asking him to "clearly assure" that if Hamas refuses to disarm in the second phase, Israel can continue to strike against him.

The two far-right politicians, who have always opposed a ceasefire with Hamas and repeatedly threatened withdrawal from the government, said Netanyahu¡¯s assurances to them during the meeting were insufficient, but decided to temporarily give Netanyahu more time to move forward with the first phase arrangements.

After the assassination

Hamas's chief negotiator makes first appearance

On the eve of the talks, Qatar Arab TV exclusively broadcasted a video of Hamas chief negotiator, Khalil Ha'a, who appeared for the first time after escaping an Israeli assassination a month ago.

This is the Hamas leadership residence of the Israeli airstrike shot in Doha on September 12 in Qatar.

The video broadcast by Arabi TV late at night on the 4th was two and a half minutes long. In the video, Haya spoke out about Israel's September 9 air strike on the Hamas leadership in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The video alone cannot confirm whether he was injured in the assassination.

Haya said the pain of losing his son, chief of staff, and entourage was huge, but it was nothing compared to the suffering of the people of Gaza, who all died because of the crimes of the Israeli occupying forces. "Today, Palestinians are moving forward with dignity in pain."

Hundreds of thousands in solidarity with Palestine

Recently, people in many European countries have continued to hold * activities in solidarity with the Palestinians. In multiple cities in Italy, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets on the 4th, demanding that Israel immediately stop its military operations against the Gaza Strip and release the personnel of the "Global Fortitude Fleet".

The Israeli Navy intercepted the "Global Resilience Flotilla" on the high seas from the evening of October 1st to the morning of October 2nd and detained more than 400 people on board. South Africa, Turkey, Qatar, Belgium and other countries condemned Israel's actions, and the European public reacted strongly.

According to Italian media reports, about 40 Italian citizens have been detained by the Israeli side. Since the evening of the 1st, rallies have been held in Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin and Geneva. Rome police say about 250,000 people have participated in the rallies that lasted until the 4th day. A large number of protesters raised their hands and flags of solidarity with Palestine and walked out of the Zoo of Rome.

On October 4, in Rome, Italy, the * team passed the Colosseum. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Jing

In Madrid, the capital of Spain, more than 90,000 people took to the streets to protest on the 4th; In Barcelona, about 70,000 people protested against *.

According to Agence France-Presse, about 10,000 people took part in the protest in Paris, the capital of France. Helena Colon, spokesperson for the French team of the Global Tenacity Fleet, said, "We will never stop" and more fleets will head for the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of people took part in a protest march in support of Palestine in central Dublin, the capital of Ireland.

On October 2, near the port of Ashdod in southern Israel, the ship of the "Global Fortitude Fleet" was towed to the port. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Jamal Awad)

Since the outbreak of a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict on October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have killed more than 67,000 people and injured more than 169,000 people, making the Gaza Strip deeply mired in a humanitarian disaster. The "Global Resilience Fleet" consists of about 50 civilian ships, with participants from more than 40 countries. Seeking to break Israel's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip since 2007, they went to Gaza last month to deliver aid.

Source: Xinhua News Agency