Under intense pressure to halt the devastating war in Gaza after two grueling years, representatives from Israel and Hamas are scheduled to meet with mediators in Egypt this Monday. Their agenda: to meticulously review a comprehensive peace proposal put forth by President Trump last week.
Many critical details, however, remain unresolved.
These indirect discussions, facilitated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, are expected to concentrate on two core aspects of the 20-point proposal introduced by Mr. Trump: the exchange of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel for captives seized during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that ignited the conflict, and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from specific areas within Gaza.
Israel currently believes approximately 20 hostages are still alive in Gaza and is also seeking the recovery of remains for about 25 others. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on Sunday that Hamas had “agreed to the president’s hostage release framework.”
According to this framework, 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, alongside 1,700 Gazans detained by Israel during the war, would be released in exchange for the hostages. Furthermore, for each deceased hostage’s remains returned, Israel would release the remains of 15 Gazan individuals.
Experts caution that fulfilling the plan’s stipulation for hostage releases within 72 hours of Israel’s agreement would pose significant logistical challenges. Moreover, both factions have yet to reach consensus on the specific Palestinian prisoners to be included in the exchange.
These represent just a fraction of the complex issues still requiring resolution.
On Friday, Hamas confirmed its readiness to release the hostages. However, the group has remained silent on other crucial aspects of the American peace initiative, including long-standing demands for its disarmament and exclusion from Gaza’s governance—stances that Hamas has consistently rejected.
Questions also persist regarding the precise terms for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from their positions within Gaza.
In a social media announcement on Saturday, Mr. Trump asserted that Israel had already consented to an initial withdrawal boundary within Gaza for the first stage of the agreement.
He declared, “When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal.”
Nevertheless, Hamas may still push to renegotiate these withdrawal lines.
During previous rounds of talks to resolve the conflict, Hamas had agreed to Israeli troops retreating into a buffer zone along Gaza’s border. However, Mr. Trump’s proposal outlines Israeli forces remaining deeper within Gaza, a condition that Hamas has indicated it might oppose.
Speaking to Israelis over the weekend, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the Trump plan as a testament to his strategy. He argued that the potential for a peace deal stemmed from his sustained military pressure on Hamas—a campaign that garnered widespread international condemnation—as well as his diplomatic efforts.
Mr. Netanyahu faces internal pressures: his far-right coalition partners vehemently oppose any deal and have threatened to collapse his government if he accepts one. Yet, he is also urged by many Israelis demanding the return of hostages and an end to the conflict, and by the international community, prominently including Mr. Trump.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump shared images of Israelis demonstrating in Tel Aviv, advocating for a hostage agreement. He offered no accompanying commentary, allowing the visual message to speak for itself.
Disregarding Mr. Trump’s intervention appears to be an untenable choice, even for Prime Minister Netanyahu. By Saturday, Israeli military operations were reportedly restricted to defensive actions and responses to immediate threats, according to Israeli officials.
Hamas, too, is feeling the immense pressure to conclude the war.
After nearly two years of extreme hardship and recurrent displacement, many Palestinians in Gaza view the Trump proposal as their last, best hope. Gaza has suffered extensive destruction, with tens of thousands of Palestinians, including countless children, killed. Mr. Trump has also warned that if Hamas rejects the deal, Israel will receive an unequivocal green light to dismantle the group.
On social media, Mr. Trump publicly called for Israel to cease bombing Gaza to facilitate the progression of the agreement with Hamas. Israeli military officials subsequently confirmed that their forces were instructed to prioritize defense, curtailing offensive operations in the Gaza Strip.
Despite these instructions, fighting on the ground has persisted. Israeli military reports on Sunday detailed multiple attacks against militants deemed to be threatening troops. Meanwhile, emergency responders in Gaza stated they were unable to reach some casualties in active combat zones.
Israel and Hamas have engaged in intermittent indirect talks throughout the war, which have historically failed. While Secretary Rubio acknowledged on Sunday that the war was not entirely over and further work was needed, he expressed optimism that this current round could yield a different outcome.
“What gives you hope here is that at least there is now a framework for how all this can come to an end,” he remarked.