All eyes are on Egypt as indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza are slated to commence on Monday. Both the United States and Israel are pressing for the prompt release of hostages held by Hamas.
These discussions emerge after Hamas indicated its agreement to certain aspects of a 20-point peace proposal put forth by the US. These concessions include the release of hostages and the transfer of governance in Gaza to Palestinian technocrats. However, Hamas is also seeking to negotiate other key points of the plan.
Notably, Hamas’s response did not address the critical demands for its disarmament or its role in the future governance of Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes have persisted in Gaza. This continued action follows President Donald Trump’s plea on Friday for Israel to “immediately stop the bombing” in response to Hamas’s reaction to the proposed peace plan.
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian stated on Sunday that while some bombings within the Gaza Strip have ceased, “there’s no ceasefire in place at this point in time.” Bedrosian further conveyed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued directives “to fire back for defensive purposes… if there is a threat to their life in the battlefield in Gaza.”
Reports from Gaza indicate that Israeli airstrikes and tank fire continued overnight and into Sunday, resulting in the destruction of several residential buildings in Gaza City.
A BBC correspondent reported hearing explosions from within Gaza and observed a plume of smoke near the border in Kibbutz Be’eri, Israel, on Sunday morning.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, an additional 65 individuals were killed by Israeli military operations in the 24 hours leading up to midday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented to CBS News, a US news partner of the BBC, that the bombing must cease to facilitate the release of hostages. “You can’t release hostages while there’s still bombardments going on… that has to stop, but you also have to work through the other logistics,” Rubio stated. He added, “We want to get the hostages out as soon as possible.”
The proposed 20-point plan outlines an immediate cessation of hostilities and the release of 48 hostages, with an estimated 20 of them being alive, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
In a televised address on Saturday, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed hope to announce the release of hostages “in the coming days.” Bedrosian added on Sunday that the Prime Minister has “made it clear that in an agreement with the Trump administration talks will be confined to a few days maximum.”
Israeli negotiators are scheduled to travel to Egypt on Sunday night for the crucial talks, with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also in attendance. These negotiations are anticipated to be pivotal, potentially determining if a path towards ending the conflict can finally be achieved.
Many Palestinians expressed surprise at Hamas’s response, given earlier indications that the group might reject or heavily condition the US peace plan. Instead, Hamas omitted its usual “red lines” from the official statement, a move interpreted by many as a sign of external pressure.
A senior Palestinian official, speaking anonymously to the BBC, revealed that mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey played a significant role in persuading Hamas to moderate its objections and defer contentious issues, such as the fate of its weapons and post-war governance in Gaza, to the negotiation table.
However, many Gazans are concerned that this diplomatic flexibility carries substantial risks, with each day of delay resulting in further loss of life, destruction, and displacement.
Hamas’s decision to engage in talks without explicit preconditions may also signify a recognition of its diminished leverage after nearly two years of conflict.
When questioned by CNN’s Jake Tapper about the potential consequences if Hamas insists on retaining power in Gaza, President Trump reportedly responded via text message that the group would face “complete obliteration.”
The US President also shared on social media that Israel had agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza, marking the first step in a proposed series of Israeli troop pull-backs.
Data on population distribution in Gaza suggests that the withdrawal map presented by Trump would initially prevent approximately 900,000 Palestinians from returning to their homes. The proposed lines notably exclude Rafah in the south, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia in the north, nearly a quarter of Gaza City, and half of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah in the central and southern regions.
Hamas had previously rejected a similar map during negotiation rounds in March and May of this year.
The Israeli military initiated its campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages taken. Since then, the health ministry in Gaza reports that 67,139 individuals have been killed by Israeli military operations.
Israel has restricted international journalists from independently entering Gaza since the war’s outset, making verification of claims from both sides challenging.
As negotiators converge in Egypt, the region collectively holds its breath, hoping that this round of talks, despite deep-seated mistrust and political instability, might finally pave the way for a lasting ceasefire.