CAIRO: Hamas on Sunday called for a swift start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel, as negotiators from both sides prepared to meet in Egypt for crucial talks aimed at ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
Foreign ministers of several countries, including Egypt, said the talks were a "real opportunity" to achieve a sustainable ceasefire.
"Hamas is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions," a senior Hamas official said on condition of anonymity.
The diplomatic push follows the Palestinian group's positive response to US President Donald Trump's road map for an end to the fighting and the release of captives in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza ahead of the discussions in Egypt.
"You can't release captives in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop," Rubio said.
"There can't be a war going on in the middle of it."
Negotiators are due to gather in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el Sheikh, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing hope that the captives could be released within days.
An Israeli government spokesperson said the country's delegation would be leaving on Sunday evening, with talks slated to start on Monday.
Cairo confirmed it would be hosting a delegation from Hamas for talks on "the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners". - AFP
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