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Indirect talks focused on achieving a lasting settlement on a US peace plan to stop the conflict in Gaza have begun in the mediation venue of the Egyptian resort town.

Palestinian and Egyptian officials have stated that the discussions are centered around "preparing the environment" for a anticipated transfer that would result in the freeing of all captured Israelis in compensation of a quantity of Palestinian prisoners.

The group stated it accepts the negotiation framework in part, but has omitted reference to several essential conditions - such as its weapons surrender and political participation in Gaza.

The government official said on recently that he anticipated declaring the freeing of captives "shortly"

Conflict Timeline

The discussions, which will see regional and international officials holding shuttle meetings with delegations from both Israel and Hamas individually, occur on the eve of the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on border communities on October 7th, in which about 1,200 people were fatally wounded and 251 individuals were taken hostage.

The defense forces launched a campaign in Gaza in response. Following the initial attack, 67,160 have been killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza, based on data from the territory's local health authorities.

Peace Plan Details

The 20-point plan, which has been endorsed by American leadership and the Netanyahu government, proposes an prompt cessation to fighting and the liberation of 48 captives, only 20 individuals are thought to be living, in exchange for multiple hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The proposal specifies that once all involved accept the initiative "full aid will be quickly dispatched into the Gaza Strip"

It also states that the militant group would have no role in governing Gaza, and it leaves the door open an independent Palestinian nation.

Latest Updates

In the latest development, the group answered to the proposal in a declaration, in which the group agreed "to liberate all captured individuals, both surviving and deceased, in accordance with the exchange formula contained in the US initiative" - if the required situation for the exchanges are fulfilled.

It omitted reference to or accept Trump's 20-point plan but said it "reaffirms its commitment to hand over the administration of the Palestinian territory to a governing council of professionals, established through Palestinian national consensus and international backing"

The statement made no mention of one of the essential conditions of the plan – that the militant group agree to its disarmament and to ceasing political participation in the leadership of Gaza.

Regional Reactions

Many Palestinians described Hamas' response to the peace plan as surprising, after an extended period of indications that the group was likely to refuse or at least heavily condition its approval of Trump's peace plan proposal.

Alternatively, Hamas excluded its established limits in the official statement, a decision many interpret as a indication of international influence.

European and Middle Eastern officials have endorsed the initiative. The Palestinian Authority, which controls sections of the Palestinian territories, has described the American initiatives as "genuine and committed"

Iran - which has been one of Hamas's main sponsors for an extended period - has also recently indicated its backing of the US proposal.

Current Situation

Military strikes carried on in several parts of the Palestinian territory on Monday prior to the discussions commencing.

Israel is conducting an military operation in the metropolitan region, which it has stated is designed to securing the freeing of the remaining hostages.

Mahmoud Basal, representing the region's civil protection agency, reported that "assistance vehicles have been allowed into the urban center since the offensive began four weeks ago"

"There are still bodies we cannot access from areas under Israeli control" he said.

Hundreds of thousands of Gaza City have been compelled to evacuate after the Israeli military mandated relocations to a specified safe zone in the southern region, but hundreds of thousands more are believed to have remained.

The defense representative has cautioned that those who persist during the offensive would be "terrorists and supporters of terror"

In the last 24 hours, 21 residents have been fatally injured in Gaza and a another 96 harmed, the regional health administration said in its current assessment.

Global media representatives have been prohibited by the government from accessing the Palestinian territory without supervision since the start of the war, making verifying claims from both sides challenging.