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Israel-Gaza live updates: Hamas to send a delegation to Cairo for hostage and cease-fire negotiations

Hamas will send a delegation to Cairo for hostage and cease-fire negotiations.

As the Israel-Hamas war approaches the seven-month mark, renewed negotiations are underway to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, as Israeli forces continue to prepare for an apparent invasion of the southern Gaza town of Rafah.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke in a phone call over the weekend, discussing increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and plans for a possible military operation in Rafah, according to the White House.


United States Central Command and Royal Jordanian Air Force airdrop aid into Gaza

U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza on Sunday.

The combined joint operation included Jordanian provided food and four U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft.

The U.S. C-130's dropped over 25,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), providing life-saving humanitarian assistance in Northern Gaza. Additionally, more than 13,080 meal equivalents of Jordanian food supplies were also delivered.

To date the U.S. has dropped nearly 1,110 tons of humanitarian assistance.

-ABC News’ Nate Luna


American hostage's niece opens up about 'surreal' new video

Hanna Siegel, niece of American hostage Keith Siegel, appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday morning and talked about the "surreal" feeling of seeing a recently released video purporting to show her uncle and talked about the possibility of a deal that would free him and other people thought to still be held by Hamas in Gaza.

"We've always believed that he was alive. We have to believe he's alive -- and his wife, my aunt, who was held for 52 days, [was] released in the deal that took place in November, she was with him," Siegel said. "When she came out, she told us he was alive, but this is the first time that we're seeing him, hearing him. It's surreal."

When asked about a potential hostage deal and temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Siegel said that she does think an agreement "can be reached" and pointed to an earlier deal that secured the release of her aunt and others during a brief pause in the war late last year.

Siegel also said that she believes the new release of purported hostage videos shows that Hamas is signaling they are ready to make a deal.

But she said that she is concerned that it might not be in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "political interest to close a deal," though Netanyahu has said his goal is freeing the captives in Gaza as well as dismantling Hamas.

Siegel said that the Biden administration should "think about what they can do directly to bring our American citizens home."

She also said she has felt the "commitment from the Biden administration to get him back," referring to her uncle.

She became emotional talking about how her family missed her uncle during their Passover celebration and had a picture of him to pay tribute.

"I think there's so much swirling in the political realm that it's easy to forget that these are human beings. Keith is a grandfather, he's a husband, he's a brother, he's an uncle," she said.

She was asked whether her family is worried if a potential Israeli invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah, to further target Hamas fighters, could threaten her uncle's safety. She responded that she and her family are "very concerned."

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart


Hamas to send a delegation to Cairo for hostage and cease-fire negotiations

Hamas will send a delegation to Cairo, Egypt, on Monday to participate in hostage and cease-fire deal negotiations, ABC News has confirmed.

Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official also told the Agence France-Presse on Sunday that the organization has no significant problems with the proposed deal.

"The atmosphere is positive unless there are new obstacles from the Israeli side," the Hamas official said.

-ABC News' Nasser Atta and Yael Benaya



Biden and Netanyahu speak: White House

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Sunday in a phone call, according to the White House.

The two leaders "reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages," discussed increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and discussed plans for a possible military operation in Rafah, according to a White House readout of Sunday's call.

According to the readout, Biden pointed to a statement he and 17 other world leaders released Thursday calling for Hamas to release the hostages and secure a cease-fire in Gaza.

"The President and the Prime Minister also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza including through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week," the White House readout of the call said. "The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations."

The readout also said Biden "reiterated his clear position" on a military operation in Rafah.

During the call, Biden also "reaffirmed his ironclad commitment" to Israel's self-defense after an Iranian attack earlier this month, the White House said.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart


Hamas releases video appearing to show 2 hostages

A video released by Hamas on Telegram Saturday features two men who identify themselves as hostages captured on Oct. 7.

The heavily edited video cuts between the two men -- who identify themselves as American citizen Keith Siegel, 64, and Israeli citizen Omri Miran, 47, from Kibbutz Nahal Oz -- as they speak to the camera under duress.

The men express how much they miss their families and their sadness at missing Passover celebrations. They also ask their families to continue to pressure the Israeli government for a deal.

"I want to tell my family that I love you very much," Siegel says in the video.

"I have very, very beautiful memories of Passover last year when we all celebrated together, and I really hope we all have the best surprise possible," he says, before bursting into tears.

ABC News has not independently verified where or when the video was filmed, though in the video Miran says he has been in captivity for more than 202 days. Saturday marks 203 days since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.

Siegel's wife, Aviva Siegel, was also taken hostage and released during the first cease-fire and hostage deal.

In a video message released on Saturday in response to the Hamas video, his wife said, "Keith, I love you, we will fight until you return."

She was joined in the video by the couple's two daughters.

"Seeing my father today only emphasizes to all of us how much we must reach a deal as soon as possible and bring everyone home," their daughter, Ilan Siegel, said. "I demand that the leaders of this country watch this video and see their father crying out for help."

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum said in a statement following the release of the latest video that the "proof of life from Keith Siegel and Omri Miran is the clearest evidence that the Israeli government must do everything to approve a deal for the return of all the hostages before Independence Day."

"Now is the time for the government and its leader to prove through actions their commitment to the citizens of Israel who await the return of the hostages," the statement continued. "The Israeli government must not miss this opportunity to bring them all home!"

The Israeli government did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment on the video.

The video comes three days after the release by Hamas of a video showing a man who identified himself as Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 24-year-old American who was captured at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7.