Israel and Hamas are set to resume ceasefire talks, despite ongoing airstrikes in Gaza. Both sides indicated on Saturday that they are ready to move forward with the next phase of negotiations aimed at extending the fragile 42-day truce that began in January.
A Hamas spokesperson confirmed that there are “positive indicators” for the continuation of talks but did not offer further details. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office also confirmed that a delegation will head to Doha on Monday for negotiations facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua affirmed their readiness to engage in the second-phase negotiations, emphasizing that the discussions should align with the needs of the Palestinian people, particularly in terms of lifting the blockade on Gaza.
A Hamas delegation is currently in Cairo, where it held talks with Egyptian mediators. The group also announced their agreement to form a committee composed of “national and independent” figures to manage Gaza until elections are conducted.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, speaking at an Arab summit, confirmed that Egypt had worked with Palestinian factions to establish the committee, aimed at overseeing Gaza’s administration after the war. The summit also endorsed Egypt’s reconstruction plan for Gaza, which contrasts with U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Middle East Riviera” vision.
Despite these diplomatic moves, Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza. On Saturday, two Palestinians were killed in Rafah, as reported by medical sources. The Israeli military claimed its aircraft targeted a drone that had crossed from Israel into southern Gaza, as well as “several suspects” who were allegedly involved in a failed smuggling attempt. The day before, an Israeli drone strike killed two individuals in northern Gaza, believed to be militants planting explosives.
As for the ceasefire terms, the current agreement, which has been in effect since January 19, includes the phased release of the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. However, with the first phase having concluded, Israel has imposed a full blockade on Gaza, demanding the release of all captives before further negotiations can proceed.
Since the ceasefire began, Hamas has released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli authorities believe that fewer than half of the remaining hostages are still alive.
The conflict, which erupted on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel, has led to over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The war has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza and has prompted accusations of genocide and war crimes against Israel, which the country denies.
