Israel and Hamas have entered their third consecutive day of critical peace talks at an Egyptian resort. Senior officials from the United States, Israel, and various mediating countries are anticipated to join the discussions, signaling a concerted effort to address the most challenging aspects of a proposed American plan to end the devastating conflict in Gaza.
Hamas, a key party in the negotiations, is reportedly seeking firm assurances from U.S. President Donald Trump and other mediators. Their primary demand is a guarantee that Israel will not resume its military operations in the Palestinian territory once all remaining hostages are released.
Despite the complexity of the issues, all parties involved have expressed a degree of optimism for reaching a deal to conclude the two-year-long war, which has tragically claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins.
However, several pivotal elements of the peace blueprint remain unresolved. These include demands for Hamas to disarm, the precise timeline and scope of an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, and the establishment of an international body to govern Gaza after Hamas relinquishes power.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, is en route to the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh to participate in the talks. Also expected to arrive are Trump’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, according to U.S. officials.
From the Israeli side, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior adviser, Ron Dermer, is also slated to join the high-level discussions. During preliminary meetings with Qatari, Egyptian, and U.S. mediators, a senior Hamas official, Taher Nounou, confirmed that the group has exchanged a list of Palestinian prisoners it hopes to see released in exchange for Israeli hostages, as stipulated by the potential deal.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, speaking in televised remarks, described the ongoing negotiations as “very encouraging,” reflecting cautious hope for a breakthrough.