Egypt and Qatar have launched fresh efforts to restart stalled ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with both sides under growing international pressure to halt the fighting in Gaza.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty confirmed on Monday that his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, had arrived in Cairo for talks.
A Hamas delegation also met with Egyptian and Qatari officials as part of the mediation effort.
Speaking alongside Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa at the Rafah crossing, Abdelatty said mediators were intensifying efforts to pressure both parties into accepting a truce.
He added that discussions were centered on reviving a US-backed plan for a 60-day ceasefire, during which broader negotiations on ending the conflict could take place.
Abdelatty said mediators were open to proposals for releasing all hostages in a single exchange tied to an end to the war.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that the death toll has now exceeded 62,000 since Israel launched its offensive following Hamas’s October 2023 attacks.
The Egyptian minister also reiterated strong opposition to Israeli proposals for the mass relocation of Palestinians from Gaza.
He warned that any large-scale transfer would amount to forced expulsion, rejecting Israeli claims that such moves could be voluntary.
Abdelatty stressed that Egypt “won’t take part, and won’t allow” such plans, and urged other states not to engage in what he called a crime against the Palestinian people.
Cairo fears that any permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza would undermine prospects for a two-state solution and could destabilize the region further.