(TJV NEWS) Delegations from Hamas and Israel have begun indirect negotiations in Egypt over U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported Monday, citing Egyptian state-linked media. The talks, held in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, come amid deep mistrust between the parties and fears that the process could stall before any deal is reached.

According to Al-Qahera News, a network tied to Egyptian intelligence, the discussions are aimed at preparing conditions for the release of the 48 remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences for terror offenses. The network said Egyptian and Qatari mediators are working to establish a mechanism for the exchange, though Hamas has reportedly expressed reluctance to surrender its key bargaining leverage by releasing hostages too early.

A senior Israeli official confirmed to The Times of Israel that negotiators arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh Monday afternoon. The delegation includes representatives from Mossad and Shin Bet, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s foreign policy adviser Ophir Falk and hostages coordinator Gal Hirsch. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Israel’s chief negotiator, is expected to join later in the week, pending progress in the talks.

Hamas’s lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya — who survived an Israeli strike in Doha last month — is holding preparatory meetings with Egyptian and Qatari mediators to determine the timing of a temporary truce, BBC reported. Egyptian officials told Reuters that Hamas is demanding assurances that Israel will follow through on troop withdrawals from Gaza once hostages are released. A Palestinian official close to the talks told BBC that mistrust runs deep, with Hamas fearing Israel could abandon negotiations after securing the hostages’ release.

According to Reuters, mediators are also avoiding detailed discussions about Trump’s proposed transition of Gaza’s governance to an International Stabilization Force, which would replace Hamas. One unnamed official said both parties had agreed in principle to the “Trump 20-point plan,” but that working out the specifics would be a long and contentious process. A Hamas source told Reuters that the group remains unwilling to disarm unless Israel ends its “occupation” and a Palestinian state is established — conditions far from Israel’s position.

A Palestinian source quoted by AFP warned that the talks “may last for several days” and would likely be “difficult and complex.” Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces released new images showing troops operating in Gaza as the talks began, underscoring the fragile situation on the ground.

Despite the obstacles, Trump’s peace initiative has drawn widespread international support. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi praised Trump’s “vision for peace,” saying that a ceasefire, prisoner exchange, and Gaza reconstruction would mark “the right path toward lasting stability.” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told public broadcaster ARD that the discussions represented “the most promising effort since the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei struck a more cautious tone, telling state media that while Tehran backs any effort to “end the killing in Gaza,” the plan carries “dangerous dimensions” and could face “Israeli obstruction.”

As The Times of Israel noted, Trump unveiled his plan at a joint White House press conference last week with Netanyahu. The proposal — endorsed by several Western, Arab, and Muslim nations, as well as the Palestinian Authority — envisions Gaza’s eventual transfer to PA control under significant reforms, marking what could be the most ambitious U.S.-backed peace push since the conflict began.