The first round of Gaza talks between Hamas and mediators in Egypt has concluded “amid a positive atmosphere,” according to Al-Qahera News, a media outlet linked to Egyptian state intelligence.
The discussions, which will resume Tuesday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, brought together Hamas representatives and mediators, with an Israeli delegation also present. Egyptian state-linked media described the tone of the initial meetings as “positive,” suggesting cautious optimism as negotiations continue.
Israeli and Hamas officials began indirect talks Monday at the same Egyptian resort over a US-drafted peace plan aimed at ending the devastating war in Gaza on the eve of its second anniversary. The talks, which lasted several hours, focused on key elements of President Donald Trump’s proposal -- including Hamas’s disarmament, the release of hostages, and Gaza’s future governance.
An Egyptian official said Monday’s session ended with both sides agreeing on most of the first-phase terms, including a ceasefire and a hostage-prisoner exchange. The talks are being led by Ron Dermer for Israel and Khalil al-Hayyah for Hamas, with participation from US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Despite Trump’s call for Israel to halt its bombardment, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued, killing at least 19 people in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry reported a total death toll of over 67,000 Palestinians since the conflict began in October 2023.
Hamas said negotiations are focusing on the first stage of a truce, involving a partial Israeli withdrawal and the release of remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has said the talks should be “confined to a few days maximum,” though Hamas has indicated more time might be needed.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi praised Trump’s efforts, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the US-led “peace system” that has shaped regional stability for decades.
Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages urged the Nobel Prize Committee to award Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, calling his plan an “unprecedented contribution to global peace.”
In Gaza, civilians continue to suffer under bombardment and displacement. Many parents of children born on the day the war began say they had hoped to celebrate their second birthdays in peace. “I was envisioning a different life for him … He couldn't experience what a safe family life feels like,” Amal al-Taweel told AP, a displaced mother now living in a tent.
The Vatican also marked the anniversary by condemning both Hamas’s October 7 attack and Israel’s ongoing assault, calling for restraint and proportionality in defense. Cardinal Pietro Parolin said, “The perverse chain of hatred can only generate a spiral that leads nowhere good.”
With inputs from AFP and AP
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