"Talks are progressing rapidly, and technical teams are meeting Monday in Egypt to finalize details," Trump tweeted. "Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed this week, and time is of the essence. Otherwise, massive bloodshed will follow."
Trump's remarks come after Hamas announced Sunday evening the arrival of a leadership delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya, its head in Gaza, to Egypt to begin negotiations on a ceasefire in the Strip.
The movement said in a statement that "the movement's delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Egypt to begin negotiations on the mechanisms for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces, and the exchange of prisoners."
The movement did not specify the duration of the visit or details of the agenda for the talks, but the new round comes amid escalating regional and international efforts to end the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for nearly two years.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that an Israeli negotiating delegation will depart Monday for the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh to hold talks on a prisoner exchange deal, as part of the initiative proposed by Trump.
"The Prime Minister has ordered the departure of a delegation to manage the negotiations, headed by Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer," the office said in a statement, adding that "the delegation will leave tomorrow (Monday) for Sharm el-Sheikh to conduct the negotiations." It noted that "Dermer will not accompany the delegation at this stage and will join it later."
According to the Hebrew newspaper Maariv, despite Dermer being named in the statement as head of the delegation, he will not participate in the opening session of the talks. The newspaper added that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Trump's envoys, will also be absent from the opening session in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Tel Aviv continues its war of extermination in Gaza through attacks that leave casualties daily, ignoring Trump's call last Friday evening to immediately halt the bombing of the Strip.
On Saturday evening, Egypt announced it would host delegations from Israel and Hamas on Monday to discuss the details of a prisoner exchange in accordance with the US president's plan to cease the war in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On September 29, Trump announced a 20-point plan, including the release of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, a ceasefire, and the disarmament of Hamas.
During a press conference with the US President at the White House last Monday, Netanyahu announced his "support for the Trump plan," believing it "achieves Israel's goals from the war."
On Friday evening, Hamas said in a statement that it had submitted its response to the Trump plan for Gaza to mediators, announcing its agreement to the release of all Israeli prisoners, living and dead.
It also renewed its agreement to hand over control of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats, based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support. However, Hamas emphasized that the future of the Gaza Strip and the rights of the people will be discussed within a Palestinian framework.
Tel Aviv estimates there are 48 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, approximately 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, approximately 11,100 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have been killed, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports
