Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Hamas, Israel resume in Egypt

ISTANBUL

Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel for a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal resumed in Egypt on Tuesday.

Egyptian daily AlMasry Alyoum reported that Hamas and Israeli negotiators began a second day of negotiations in the Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari confirmed the resumption of the talks, saying many details in US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan need discussion and negotiation between the two sides.

Speaking at a press conference in Doha, Ansari said that Hamas and Israeli negotiators held talks for four hours on the first day of talks on Monday to remove obstacles to a ceasefire in Gaza.

“All parties have agreed to President Trump's plan, and now the obstacles are under discussion,” he said.

“Israel should have stopped attacks under Trump’s plan, but what we see on the ground contradicts that,” the spokesman said.

Ansari said they are working on a plan that will not allow Israel to resume its attacks on Gaza. “As long as Israel agrees to the plan, it must be committed to its implementation,” he said.

The spokesman expressed Qatar’s appreciation for US efforts and reaffirmed commitment to further work on Trump’s plan to end the Israeli war in Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.

“The US position is clear,” Ansari said. “There is a link between the ceasefire and release of the (Israeli) hostages.”

Ansari said discussions are ongoing with the US to reach a consensus on a mechanism to ensure a permanent implementation of Trump’s plan.

He said a practical and quickly implemented plan agreed upon by all parties will guarantee a long-lasting ceasefire in Gaza.

The Qatari spokesman stressed that the future of the Palestinian people should be determined by the Palestinians themselves.

He added that a Qatari delegation is also present in the negotiations. “We await the outcomes in the coming days.”

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, meanwhile, said that a US delegation, headed by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, will participate in the negotiations on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Abdelatty stressed the importance of taking advantage of the opportunity in this “critical stage” to end the war in Gaza.

On Sept. 29, Trump unveiled a 20-point proposal that includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza. Hamas agreed to the plan in principle.

According to Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News channel, the first day of the negotiations concluded in a positive atmosphere.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN also signaled optimism about the talks, saying an agreement could be reached by Sunday.

The Israeli military has killed over 67,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave all but uninhabitable and has led to mass displacement, starvation, and the proliferation of disease.