Two years on: Israel, Hamas begin indirect talks to end Gaza war

Hamas seeks guarantees Israel will pull troops from Gaza after hostages are freed, sources say

Delegations from Israel and Hamas began indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday on a plan backed by US President Donald Trump to end the Gaza war, confronting thorny issues such as Israel’s military withdrawal and Hamas’ disarmament.

Both Israel and Hamas have endorsed the broad principles of Trump’s proposal, which envisions a ceasefire, hostage releases, and massive humanitarian aid to Gaza — the closest the two sides have come to halting the conflict. The plan is also backed by Arab and Western states.

Trump has urged rapid progress toward a final deal, calling the talks “the closest yet” to ending the war.

‘Move fast,’ says Trump

“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” Trump wrote in a social media post.

Despite the push for urgency, both sides are seeking clarification on key details — including guarantees that have derailed past peace efforts.

Trump has asked Israel to pause its bombing of Gaza during the talks. Residents reported a reduction in airstrikes, though not a complete halt.

Gaza health authorities said 19 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours — about one-third of the recent daily average during Israel’s intense offensive on Gaza City.

Delegations arrive in Egypt

Egyptian state TV confirmed that indirect negotiations had begun in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

The talks coincide with the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack, in which militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages — the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, leaving most of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents homeless and starving, amid widespread destruction.

Egyptian sources said Hamas is seeking guarantees that Israel will withdraw its troops from Gaza once the group releases its hostages, ensuring Israel does not backtrack once leverage is lost.

Wariness about breakthrough

n Gaza, civilians say a ceasefire is their last hope for survival.

“If there is a deal, then we survive. If there isn’t, it is like we have been sentenced to death,” said Gharam Mohammad, 20, displaced in central Gaza.

In Israel, public pressure to end the war and bring hostages home has grown, though right-wing cabinet members oppose any halt to fighting.

An official briefed on the negotiations said the current round could take several days, while others warned Trump’s 72-hour deadline to return all hostages was unrealistic — especially for recovery of bodies from battle zones.

A Palestinian official close to the talks expressed skepticism, citing deep mistrust. “Hamas and other factions fear Israel could ditch the talks once it retrieves the hostages,” he said.

Negotiators and sticking points

The Israeli delegation includes officials from Mossad and Shin Bet, as well as Netanyahu’s adviser Ophir Falk and hostage coordinator Gal Hirsch. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Israel’s chief negotiator, is expected to join later in the week, Israeli officials said.

The Hamas delegation is led by Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s exiled Gaza leader, who survived an Israeli airstrike in Doha last month that killed his son.

Hamas said it would seek clarity on the hostage-prisoner exchange mechanism, Israel’s military withdrawal, and a permanent ceasefire.

A major sticking point remains the Israeli and U.S. demand that Hamas disarm. A Hamas source told Reuters the group will not disarm unless Israel ends its occupation and recognizes a Palestinian state.

On Monday, Israel deported dozens of activists detained from a flotilla attempting to bring aid to Gaza — among them Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.