Gaza ceasefire talks stall over number of hostages to be freed, truce duration

Gaza ceasefire proposals presented by mediators Egypt and Qatar are not making headway, with Israel and Hamas at odds over several issues. Points of contention include the number of hostages to be released, the duration of the proposed truce and the way ahead for the Palestinian territory after the war, sources said. They stated that Hamas negotiators who held talks with the Qataris and Egyptians in Cairo over the weekend have agreed to release, in two batches, nine hostages along with the remains of five dead, including those of four dual Israel-US nationals.