Israeli delegation set to head to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for indirect Gaza talks

By Murat Basoglu and Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Israel said Sunday that a negotiating team will depart for Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for indirect prisoner exchange talks with Hamas under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.

In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s​​​​​​​ office said the premier “has instructed the Israeli delegation, headed by Minister Ron Dermer, to depart.”

“The delegation will depart as early as tomorrow for the negotiations, which are to be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt,” it added.

According to the daily Maariv, although Dermer was named as head of the delegation, he will not attend the opening session of the talks.

It said US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who were expected to participate, will also be absent from the opening session in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Meanwhile, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, citing senior officials, said Netanyahu has received a “green light” from most senior members of his governing coalition to proceed with implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan, despite opposition from some ministers.

The same source said far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir are expected to vote against the agreement in principle, though they are not likely to bring down the coalition at this stage.

For several ministers, the “red line” will come during the second phase of the plan, if it proceeds without disarming Hamas or removing it from power in Gaza, KAN said.

On Sept. 29, Trump unveiled a 20-point plan, which includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, disarmament of Hamas and rebuilding of Gaza. Hamas has agreed to the plan in principle and talks for the next steps are due in Egypt.

The Israeli army has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.