An Israeli army soldier behind a mounted machine gun in the vicinity of the Jordanian Field Hospital in Gaza City. AFP
The diplomatic moves came after the Palestinian resistance group Hamas responded positively to US President Donald Trump's roadmap for freeing the captives and administering post-war Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that he had ordered negotiators to Egypt "to finalise the technical details", while Cairo confirmed it would also be hosting a delegation from Hamas for talks on "the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli and Palestinian detainees".
Egyptian media had previously reported that the warring parties would hold indirect talks on Sunday and Monday.
Trump also dispatched two envoys to Egypt on Saturday, according to the White House, sending his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his main Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff.
The US president warned he would "not tolerate delay" from Hamas, urging the group to move quickly towards a deal "or else all bets will be off".
On Friday night, Hamas had announced "its approval for the release of all the occupation forces' prisoners -- living and remains -- according to the exchange formula included in President Trump's proposal".
Trump immediately hailed the statement as evidence the group was "ready for a lasting PEACE", taking Israel by surprise and ordering it to stop its bombing of Gaza.
The talks will take place two days before the second anniversary of the Israeli genocidal war on the Palestinian Strip.
Strikes continue
Despite Trump's call for a halt in operations, Israel carried out deadly strikes across Gaza on Saturday.
"The death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombardment since dawn today stands at 57, including 40 in Gaza City alone," said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for the civil defence.
Israeli forces have carried out a sweeping air and ground assault in recent weeks around the city.
Mahmoud Al-Ghazi, 39, a resident of Al-Rimal neighbourhood in Gaza City, said "Israel has actually escalated its attacks" since Trump's call for a pause.
"Who will stop Israel now? We need the negotiations to move faster to stop this genocide and the ongoing bloodshed," he added.
The Israeli army said it was still operating in Gaza City and warned residents not to return there, adding that doing so would be "extremely dangerous".
No role for Hamas
A Hamas official said Egypt, a mediator in the truce talks, would host a conference for Palestinian factions to decide on post-war plans for Gaza.
In its response to the Trump plan, Hamas had insisted it should have a say in the territory's future.
Trump's roadmap stipulates that Hamas and other factions "not have any role in the governance of Gaza", while also calling for a halt to Israeli bombing, the release of captives within 72 hours, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Hamas's disarmament.
Under the proposal, administration of the territory would be taken up by a technocratic body overseen by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump himself.
An AFP journalist in the coastal area of Al-Mawasi reported hearing celebratory cries of "Allahu akbar!" (God is greatest) from tents housing Palestinians as news of Hamas's statement spread.
"The best thing is that President Trump himself announced a ceasefire, and Netanyahu will not be able to escape this time... (Trump) is the only one who can force Israel to comply and stop the war," said Sami Adas, 50, who lives in a tent in Gaza City with his family.
Since the war started in October 203, Israel has killed at least 67,074 Palestinians, mostly children and women, and wounded over 166,000 others.
* This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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