The first round of talks between Hamas and international mediators concluded today in Egypt’s resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, with both sides describing the discussions as “positive.”
The Hamas delegation and intermediaries outlined a roadmap and negotiating framework, but emphasized that Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza remains a core obstacle to any agreement on prisoner exchanges, reports Al Jazeera citing anonymous sources.
The Hamas delegation reportedly included senior leaders Khalil Al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin—both survivors of an Israeli assassination attempt in Doha last month. The Israeli military launched an airstrike targeting Hamas leadership during a closed-door meeting in the Qatari capital, where the Trump ceasefire proposal was being reviewed.
US President Donald Trump said Monday that his proposed peace deal for Gaza is moving swiftly, claiming that both Hamas and Israel have agreed to its first phase.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump called the talks “very successful” and said they had been “proceeding rapidly.” He added that “technical teams” would reconvene in Egypt on Monday to finalize terms.
“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week,” Trump posted. “I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST. I will continue to monitor this Centuries old ‘conflict.’”
On Friday, Hamas publicly accepted Trump’s proposal, which includes the release of all Israeli captives—both alive and deceased—under a defined exchange framework, and guarantees from Israel to allow the appropriate conditions for safe release. The plan also calls for transferring Gaza’s administration to a council of independent Palestinian technocrats, selected by national consensus.
Hamas’ response notably did not address provisions on disarmament or postwar reconstruction.
Despite mounting international support for the plan, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls to end the offensive. In an interview with right-wing American commentator Ben Shapiro, Netanyahu insisted the Israeli assault—which began on Oct. 8, 2023—would continue until all captives are freed and Hamas is dismantled. He claimed the initial attack of Al-Aqsa Flood as the worst atrocities committed on Jews since the Holocaust.
Though Netanyahu acknowledged Israel may be nearing the end of the war, he insisted “key objectives” remain unmet. He claimed Hamas had suffered heavy losses but had not been defeated. On the sidelines of the ongoing negotiations, he declared that Israel had emerged from Oct. 7 “as the strongest state in the region.”
Following Hamas’ public acceptance of the plan, Trump urged Israel to suspend military operations. But Israeli forces pressed forward with their assault on Gaza City, issuing new evacuation orders demanding civilians flee south.
On Saturday night, Trump announced that Israel had agreed to begin a first-stage withdrawal from parts of Gaza.
Since mid-September, Israeli forces have intensified both ground and aerial attacks under the banner of a campaign to retake the city and eliminate Hamas. The offensive has fueled another wave of massive displacement, forcing Palestinians to flee homes, shelters, and even designated safe zones.
The Health Ministry in Gaza declared more than 67,000 Palestinians killed, and over 169,000 injured since Israel launched its genocidal assault on Oct. 7, 2023. The campaign has included repeated Israeli airstrikes on residential neighborhoods, evacuation routes, and humanitarian convoys.
