Reports this morning say Israel has conditioned the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip on advancing the issue of bringing back its citizens and bodies of soldiers held by Hamas. Avraham Avera Mengistu crossed the northern section of the fence separating Israel and Gaza and headed toward the Gaza shore in 2014. Hisham al-Sayed entered Gaza in 2015 through an opening in the fence in the east. They haven't been seen since. Israel believes that Mengistu and Sayed, who reportedly suffer from mental health issues, are held by Hamas. The Islamist movement also holds the bodies of soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who were killed in the 2014 Gaza war.

Over the years, the families of the captives and of the missing soldiers, as well as many Israeli public figures, have campaigned for their return, objecting to the easing of restrictions in Gaza until Hamas complies to their demand. Several attempts at reaching a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas have failed.

Reportedly, senior Egyptian officials held meetings in recent days with officials in Israel, Ramallah, and the Gaza Strip to prepare the Cairo initiative. If all parties agree and the meeting takes place, it will be conducted in separate rooms, with an Egyptian mediator shuttling between the delegations to exchange messages.

Reports on the upcoming invitation for indirect talks came after the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the region, during which he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah II.