Egypt Hosts Intensive Ceasefire Talks as Israel and Hamas Weigh Next Steps

According to Egypt’s State Information Service, delegations from Israel and Qatar arrived in Cairo to continue negotiations on the ceasefire, with the participation of U.S. representatives.

The official statement explained that the involved parties had begun intensive discussions on the next steps of the truce agreement, with continuous efforts to ensure the implementation of previous understandings.

Mediators Push for Extended Gaza Ceasefire Amid Hostage Talks

“Mediators are exploring ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza as part of broader efforts to alleviate civilian suffering and support regional stability,” the statement added.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the negotiating delegation to head to Cairo to continue talks, according to a statement from his office.

The first phase of the ceasefire is set to expire on Saturday evening, and it remains unclear whether Israel will officially propose an extension.

Israel’s public broadcaster reported that the United States and Israel were holding discussions on the possibility of extending the first phase of the prisoner exchange deal for several additional weeks.

Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported on Thursday that, as the first phase nears its end, Israel has requested mediators to increase the number of hostages released in each phase as a condition for extending the agreement. Under this extension, Israel would release more Palestinian prisoners, continue the ceasefire, and allow more aid, including mobile homes, into Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told reporters in Jerusalem that the delegation would assess whether there was common ground for negotiating a ceasefire extension.

“We have stated that we are willing to extend the framework in exchange for the release of more hostages. We will do so if it is possible,” he said.

Two Israeli government officials said Israel was seeking to extend the first phase, with Hamas agreeing to release three hostages per week in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Neither Hamas nor Israel has clarified what will happen after Saturday if the first phase of the ceasefire ends without a new agreement. Negotiations between the two sides continue under the mediation of Egypt and Qatar, with U.S. support.

During the first phase, 33 Israeli hostages were released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Fighting also halted, and Israeli forces withdrew from some positions in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas were supposed to begin negotiations on the second phase of the agreement on the 16th day of the ceasefire, but there have been few signs of progress.

The second phase aims to secure the release of remaining captives and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The Israeli government is facing public pressure to uphold the ceasefire agreement to secure the release of the remaining captives. However, some hardliners within the right-wing government are pushing for a return to war to achieve their objective of dismantling Hamas.

On Thursday morning, Israel announced that three of the hostages whose remains were received the previous night had been killed while in captivity, while a fourth was killed on the day of Hamas’ October 2023 attack, which led to the war.

Hamas, on Thursday, declared its readiness to begin negotiations for the second phase, emphasizing that the only way to secure the release of the remaining captives in Gaza is by adhering to the ceasefire agreement.

Currently, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, but Israel believes fewer than half of them are still alive.