There may be an Israeli delegation joining the Hamas delegation in Cairo, although they won’t be meeting face to face.
The Egyptians are keen to get this moving. They have a vested interest because of the geographic position of Rafah on their border. So they are also putting pressure on Hamas, along with the Qataris, to get some form of deal.
What we understand is on the table at the moment, is that Hamas would release 33 captives. These fall under the humanitarian branch. So you have women, the sick, the elderly and those over 50.
Israel would release Palestinian prisoners. Some of those, according to the Israeli media, quote with blood on their hands. So you are talking about senior Palestinian prisoners.
Also, some movement of Palestinians in Gaza to the north, and a gradual, small withdrawal of Israeli troops from certain positions inside Gaza.
And then, after all that happens, you are going to have ongoing negotiations about a full cessation of hostilities, an end to the war, which is something that Israel says it is not going to do until its objectives have been achieved.
It was an extremely difficult night for civilians in Rafah, where the Israeli military targeted multiple areas with air strikes. At least 20 Palestinians were killed, including five children, after Israel bombed three separate houses in Rafah.
Hospitals in densely populated areas were flooded with people and bodies piled up in morgues before being taken for burial.
We have also been hearing about artillery attacks on other areas in the territory, including in the Bureij refugee camp.
Battles were also raging overnight between Hamas fighters and Israeli soldiers close to Nuseirat junction in central Gaza, where, according to Israeli media reports, at least two Israeli soldiers were killed while eight others were wounded. They were evacuated by Israeli helicopters for medical treatment.
The Israeli army also fired artillery shells on border towns, including Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya in the north, which suffered widespread destruction during the earlier phase of the war. Israeli forces also targeted houses in Gaza City, where people are still stuck under the rubble.
