Egyptian and Qatari officials say progress is being made toward a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal, though key implementation details and guarantees remain unresolved.
Negotiations resumed on Tuesday in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, as delegations from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States sought to advance US President Donald Trump’s plan to end Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.
According to Al-Jazeera, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari confirmed during a press conference in Doha that the latest round of indirect talks between the Palestinian Resistance and the Israeli occupation included “four hours of delicate negotiations” on Monday.
Al-Ansari said that “many details of the Trump plan still need to be agreed upon,” but stressed that all parties have accepted the framework in principle.
“The obstacles now lie in its implementation,” he noted, emphasizing that the priority is to begin enforcing the ceasefire and “stop the war machine grinding down the bodies of Gaza’s children.”
He reiterated that Doha remains committed to advancing the US proposal to end the war, ensure Israel’s withdrawal, and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid, while expressing “appreciation for the US commitment to ending the war on Gaza.”
According to al-Ansari, the handover of Israeli captives held in Gaza “will end the war,” reflecting Washington’s stance that “a ceasefire and the handover of hostages are linked.”
He added that Qatar and the United States are working to ensure the agreement is “not temporary” and that its implementation is “quick, practical, and agreed upon by all parties.”
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Al-Ansari also addressed speculation about Hamas’ political office in Doha, stating that its presence “has been part of the mediation tool that Doha has led since 2006.” He underscored that “the future of the Palestinian people must be in the hands of the Palestinians alone.”
The Qatari spokesman’s remarks come days after Trump urged Israel to “immediately halt its bombing of Gaza” following what he described as a “positive response” from Hamas to his 20-point plan, which includes a ceasefire, a reciprocal release of captives and prisoners, and the disarmament of Hamas. Israel, however, dismissed the call.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed 67,160 Palestinians and wounded 169,679, most of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office. The ongoing siege has also caused famine, killing 460 Palestinians, including 154 children.
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For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Tuesday that Cairo is making “significant progress” toward ending the war, revealing that the Sharm el-Sheikh negotiations are also discussing the establishment of a security mechanism to guarantee Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Abdelatty emphasized that the talks reflect Egypt’s determination to secure a lasting ceasefire and prevent any recurrence of Israeli military operations.
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He stressed that any agreement “must be anchored in international law and Palestinian sovereignty,” noting that the first phase of the indirect negotiations focuses on the exchange of prisoners and captives between Israel and the Palestinian Resistance.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s support for empowering the Palestinian Authority within an independent state framework as a condition for long-term stability. He also announced that Cairo is preparing an international conference for Gaza’s reconstruction in coordination with Arab and European partners.
While describing Trump’s Gaza plan as “a possible starting point,” Abdelatty warned against any arrangement “that legitimizes occupation or displacement.”
Mediated Talks Continue
According to Egyptian diplomatic sources cited by Al Mayadeen and Reuters, the ongoing indirect negotiations—mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US—are centered on a US-backed framework involving a ceasefire, a phased Israeli withdrawal, and a reciprocal prisoner exchange.
Trump claimed that Israel had agreed to “an initial withdrawal line inside Gaza” as part of the arrangement.
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The Palestinian side, led by Hamas, responded positively to the principle of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange but insisted that “issues concerning Gaza’s future and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people” must be addressed collectively and in line with international law.
Both Egyptian and Palestinian negotiators underscored the need for binding guarantees, citing Israel’s repeated violations of past agreements.
As talks continue in Sharm el-Sheikh, optimism remains cautious. While mediators describe progress as tangible, the path toward a lasting ceasefire—and the end of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza—depends on whether the proposed mechanisms can finally translate into justice, sovereignty, and relief for millions of besieged Palestinians.
(PC, AJA, Al Mayadeen)
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