SHARM EL-SHEIKH: Indirect talks aimed at finalizing a US peace plan to end the Gaza war are set to continue on Tuesday in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.
Palestinian and Egyptian officials told the BBC that the sessions are focused on “creating the field conditions” for a possible exchange that would see the release of all Israeli hostages in return for a number of Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the weekend that he hoped to announce the release of hostages “in the coming days.”.
As the talks began on Monday, US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House, “We have a really good chance of making a deal, and it’ll be a lasting deal.”
Hamas has said it agrees to the peace plan proposals in part but has not responded to several key demands — including its disarmament and exclusion from any future role in Gaza’s governance.
Historic Timing and the Human Cost
The second day of the talks coincides with the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken. In response, Israel launched a military campaign that has since killed 67,160 Palestinians, including 18,000 children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Trump’s plan “presents an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end.”
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also expressed support for the plan, saying: “We welcome the US initiative towards peace in the Middle East, and this government will do everything in our power to bring about the day where every child of Israel can live peacefully, alongside their Palestinian neighbours, in safety and security.”
According to the BBC, a senior Israeli security source said the initial focus of the discussions would be the hostages’ release, giving Hamas a few days to complete that phase.
Key Figures and Mediators in Attendance
The talks are being attended by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Egyptian and Qatari officials are holding shuttle diplomacy meetings between delegations from Israel and Hamas.
Trump has urged negotiators to “move fast,” writing on social media that he expects the first phase of the plan — including the hostage release — “should be completed this week.”.
On Monday, he told reporters, “Hamas has been agreeing to things that are very important.” “I really think we’re going to have a deal,” he said at the White House.
A Palestinian official told Reuters that the first session ended late Monday evening and that more discussions would resume Tuesday. Egyptian state-affiliated Al-Qahera News reported that the talks on Monday concluded “amid a positive atmosphere.”
The Core of Trump’s 20-Point Plan
The 20-point peace plan, jointly agreed by Trump and Netanyahu, calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of 48 hostages — only 20 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees. It also stipulates that once both sides agree to the proposal, “full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip.”
The plan further requires Hamas to have no role in Gaza’s governance while leaving the door open for an eventual Palestinian state. However, Netanyahu reaffirmed his opposition to Palestinian statehood, saying, “It’s not written in the agreement. We said we would strongly oppose a Palestinian state.”
Hamas responded cautiously, agreeing “to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in Trump’s proposal,” provided that “the proper conditions for the exchanges are met.”
Hamas’s Position and External Pressures
While Hamas did not explicitly endorse Trump’s 20-point plan, it stated that it “renews its agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.”
The statement omitted any reference to Hamas’s disarmament — one of the plan’s core requirements — or its withdrawal from political influence in Gaza. It added that proposals concerning Gaza’s future and Palestinian rights were still “being discussed within a national framework,” in which Hamas would participate.
Observers say Hamas’s restrained response, avoiding traditional “red lines,” signals growing regional and international pressure to move forward with the peace framework.
International Reactions and Endorsements
European and Middle Eastern leaders have largely welcomed the US-led peace effort. The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, praised Trump’s mediation as “sincere and determined.”
In a significant shift, Iran — a long-time backer of Hamas — has also signaled support for the Gaza peace plan. Analysts view this as an indication of changing regional dynamics and coordinated diplomatic pressure for a negotiated settlement.
Despite diplomatic optimism, Israeli airstrikes continued across Gaza on Monday, targeting several areas ahead of the talks’ resumption, reports BBC.
Conditions Inside Gaza Ahead of Talks
Israel’s latest offensive in Gaza City has intensified humanitarian suffering. Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence, told BBC that “no aid trucks have been allowed into Gaza City since the offensive began four weeks ago.” He added, “There are still bodies we cannot retrieve from areas under Israeli control.”
Hundreds of thousands of residents have fled to a designated “humanitarian area” in southern Gaza following Israeli evacuation orders, though many others remain trapped. Israel’s defence minister has warned that anyone staying behind would be considered “terrorists and supporters of terror.”
In the past 24 hours, 21 Palestinians were killed and 96 were injured, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Restricted Media Access and Verification Challenges
Israel continues to bar international journalists from independently entering Gaza, making it difficult to verify claims from either side. Humanitarian agencies have called for unrestricted access, citing the need for transparency in monitoring civilian casualties and aid delivery.
As indirect talks continue in Sharm El-Sheikh, diplomats say this week could determine whether Trump’s proposed framework leads to a breakthrough or collapses under long-standing mistrust.
