Benjamin Netanyahu orders delegation to Cairo for continued talks

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced today (Thursday) that Netanyahu had ordered the sending of the delegation to Cairo for continued talks.

The decision to do so reportedly came following two consultation meetings with defense heads and ministers Israel Katz, Ron Dermer, Bezalel Smotrich, Gideon Sa'ar, and Shas leader MK Aryeh Deri.

Foreign Minister Sa'ar said that "we have an obligation to return all out hostages and seek out new ways to do so in these complex conditions." Sa'ar then said that the delegation was being sent to Cairo "to see if there's a shared basis for negotiations."

For its part, Hamas said that "we emphasize our full commitment to the ceasefire agreement, in all its articles, and our willingness to enter into negotiations on the second phase of the agreement. The mediators, the international community, and all relevant parties must act immediately and seriously to oblige Israel to comply with the demands and articles of the agreement."

With the completion of the exchange of the four slain hostages, who were confirmed murdered by forensic examination, for over 600 terrorists, the first phase of the hostage deal is now completed.

The question now remains whether Israel and Hamas will move to the second phase of the hostage deal, which requires Israel to end the war and for which Israel demands Hamas disarm and divest itself of governing power.

Hamas has said it is open to "continuing" the first phase conditions of releasing hostages in exchange for continued humanitarian aid and terrorists being released from prison, or combining it with the second phase of the deal, in accordance with the terrorist group's "red lines."

An Israeli source said today that Israel will not retreat from the Philadelphi corridor dividing the Gaza Strip and Egypt, as required of Israel if it enters the second phase of the hostage deal. Defense Minister Israel Katz said he saw some tunnels which were open between the corridor and Egypt, allowing for weapons and equipment smuggling if the IDF should leave them.

Hamas protested this decision as a violation of the hostage deal and called on the mediators to intervene.