Two years of war in Gaza: Israel's target Khalil al-Hayya attends mediation talks in Egypt

CAIRO: The first round of mediation talks in Egypt on the Gaza peace plan ended on a positive note, as per Egyptian media reports. The talks held in the Sharm el-Sheikh resort in Egypt were brokered by Egypt and Qatar on the 20-point peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump.

The initial discussions were reportedly focused on the release of hostages and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's foreign policy adviser, Ofir Falk, and Gal Hirsch, who is in charge of hostages, participated in the talks. The Hamas delegation was led by senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, who escaped death by a whisker in Israel's attack on Doha targeting Hamas leaders.

Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war is now in its second year. On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants crossed the Israeli border and killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. In a savage retaliation, Israel killed 67,130 people in Gaza; 169,580 were injured, and 251 people were taken hostage in the war.

On September 29, 2025, Donald Trump presented a 20-point peace plan with the aim of ending the conflict.