Gaza truce talks resume in Egypt --- ISRAEL NEWS

Hamza Hendawi reports from Cairo: Israeli security officials were in Egypt on Sunday to resume negotiations on a Gaza truce and a prisoner and hostage swap with Hamas, according to sources with direct knowledge of the process. They said the officials came from Israel's domestic security agency Shin Bet but did not include its head, Ronen Bar. The Israelis will be meeting officials from Egypt's intelligence agency in the latest bid to pause the nearly six-month-old war in Gaza after months of fruitless efforts. The sources told The National that Israel was now offering a "mini" deal that would allow the two warring sides to show good faith that could break the deadlock over a wider deal. They said Israel was prepared to free about 160 Palestinian prisoners who were released as part of a 2011 deal with Hamas but were later re-arrested. In exchange, said the sources, Hamas would hand over to Israel the remains of at least two soldiers that have been kept by the militant group from before the October 7 attack that triggered the current war. The Gaza negotiations have been held behind closed doors. Mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar don't publicly speak about the specifics of the negotiations. Israel and Hamas remain at odds over core issues, including Hamas's demands for a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

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