A new round of talks will begin Thursday in Cairo

A new round of talks starting Thursday in Cairo is aimed specifically at securing a prisoner exchange. US diplomatic chief Anthony Blinken, who is touring the region, indicated in Jerusalem on Wednesday that there is “a lot of work” to be done to achieve this. Le Figaro Explains to you the situation regarding the conflict.

A new round of talks will begin in Cairo on Thursday

Sponsored by Egypt and Qatar “A New Round of Negotiations” It aims to start and receive Thursday in Cairo “Peace in the Gaza Strip” As well as an exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages, an Egyptian official told AFP on Wednesday. Cairo insists “Both parties must demonstrate the necessary flexibility” The official added, on condition of anonymity, that he pledged to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza “Egypt is making serious and persistent efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement” between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas. A Hamas source close to the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to AFP that Hamas had accepted this new round of talks. “Armistice, End of Hostilities and Exchange of Prisoners”.

Last week, the Palestinian Islamic Movement said a proposed new ceasefire would include a six-week pause in fighting and the exchange of hostages and prisoners, as well as an increase in aid to Gaza. Talks have been going on ever since. On Tuesday, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdelrahmane al-Thani said he had received a response from Hamas. “Overall Positive” About “General Structure of a Hostage Agreement”. For its part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office indicated that the country's foreign intelligence services were investigating the Hamas response.

Blinken says hostage deal needs 'a lot of work'

The US diplomatic chief indicated in Jerusalem on Wednesday that he hoped a deal would be reached over the hostages in Gaza. “a lot of work” Achieving this and improving on site assistance. Antony Blinken met with several Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of his fifth trip to the region since the October 7 war between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas. Earlier in the day, he visited Qatar, brokering with the US and Egypt a draft agreement offering Israel to end its military operations in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners imprisoned in Israel.

“We're doing it seriously, I know, the government of Israel.”Blinken said after a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. “There is still a lot of work to do, but we are very focused on being able to resume the release of the hostages that were interrupted”He added that a hundred hostages had already been freed during a week-long ceasefire at the end of November.

Blinken again called for an intensification of aid to Gaza. “Many innocent men, women and children have suffered the consequences of Hamas attacks and are now caught in the middle of the conflict.”he added. “We all have a duty to bring the help we need to everyone who needs it most, and the steps that are being taken – and the steps that need to be taken – are the subject of my discussion here.”.

New count: Hamas health ministry announces 27,708 deaths

The Hamas Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that 27,708 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Movement.

A total of 123 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, and 67,147 people have been injured since the fighting began on October 7.