Cautious optimism at Gaza talks as Hamas hands over lists of names for swap deal

Hamas said on Wednesday it had exchanged a list of the names of Israeli captives and Palestinian captives to be released under a swap deal and that it was optimistic about talks in Egypt on US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.

Negotiations, to be attended by senior foreign political and intelligence officials, are focused on the mechanisms to halt the war, withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the swap deal, the group added.

One of the biggest sticking points will be pressure on Hamas to disarm, an issue it has so far been unwilling to discuss at the talks, according to a Palestinian source close to the negotiations.

The timing of the implementation of the first phase of Trump's 20-point initiative has not been agreed so far during talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, the Palestinian source said.