Negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza are showing signs of renewed momentum, with Egyptian mediators expected to fly to Doha on Monday for consultations with Qatari counterparts, sources familiar with the talks said.
A senior Egyptian official involved in the mediation efforts told Al Manassa that “things are moving in a positive direction toward resuming negotiations.” The official confirmed that Cairo had held productive discussions with both Israeli and US officials in recent hours.
This renewed push comes after Israeli and American delegations left Doha last Thursday, following receipt of Hamas’s response to a proposed ceasefire framework.
US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Friday, accused Hamas of stalling the process, asserting they “didn’t want a deal, and they want to die.” He added that “it got to a point where you’re going to have to finish the job,” referring to ongoing Israeli military operations.
Meanwhile, a senior Hamas figure told Al Manassa the group had received Israeli inquiries regarding the health of captives still held in Gaza. The source said Israel had requested that humanitarian parcels containing food and medicine be allowed through to the captives, following Tel Aviv’s recent decision to ease aid entry to the enclave amid worsening famine conditions.
An estimated 50 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive. The latest draft agreement proposes the release of 28 captives over a 60-day period, including 10 living captives and the remains of 18 others. This would occur alongside a large-scale humanitarian relief operation supervised by the UN and the Red Crescent.
This morning, a source at the Rafah border crossing told Al Manassa that 129 aid trucks had entered Gaza and were headed for the Israeli-controlled Karm Abu Salem crossing. The aid flow follows an announcement by Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee today, who declared a “tactical pause” in fighting for humanitarian reasons.
The daily pause, from 10 am to 8 pm until further notice, covers areas including Al-Mawasi, Deir Al-Balah, and Gaza City. He added that the occupation army has also established secure corridors, operational between 6 am and 11 am, to allow aid convoys to travel safely within Gaza and deliver food and medicine.
This trickling aid arrives after months of an Israeli siege that has caused a tragic rise in hunger and malnutrition-related deaths. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the death toll from starvation had reached 127, including 85 children, after hospitals in the Strip recorded five new fatalities in the past 24 hours.
The dire situation stems from a broken ceasefire agreement, announced in January, which Israel refused to implement. The deal was expected to last until the end of its offensive on Gaza. Instead, the occupation army resumed its military campaign on March 18—which began on Oct. 7, 2023—and simultaneously blocked humanitarian aid from entering the territory.
The Hamas official added that the group had received multiple calls in recent hours suggesting talks would resume soon. According to the official, some members of the Israeli delegation remained in Doha even as others had returned to consult with their government.
Today, US envoy Steve Witkoff said talks with Hamas, which had stalled, were now getting back on track. The network also quoted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as saying there had been “significant progress.”
“We hope to reach a ceasefire that will see half the hostages released, then the rest after 60 days,” Rubio said, adding, “The solution is simple: release the hostages, lay down your arms, and the war ends.”
Israeli Channel 14 also cited a political source confirming that negotiations with Hamas were ongoing.
On Friday, six members of the US Congress issued a joint statement urging the Trump administration to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal and expedite the return of captives. The lawmakers described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “dire and unacceptable.”
