Israel is stalling in the latest round of ceasefire negotiations in Doha, while Hamas is holding firm to key demands, according to sources familiar with the talks.
“Israel is dragging its feet in Doha,” one source said, adding that Israel has made further concessions on withdrawal maps—“a hundred meters here, a hundred meters there”—but Hamas continues to insist on a return to the ceasefire lines agreed to in March. That includes several positions along the Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt.
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Tel Aviv rally calling for the release of the hostages and an end to the war in Gaza
(Photo: Yariv Katz)
“Hamas is willing to show some flexibility on the margins, but not on the core issues,” a source said. “Everything now depends on Trump and what he decides to do. Hamas understands it has a rare opportunity to strike a deal with Trump rather than enter extended negotiations.”
The sources said a meeting scheduled for Wednesday night between U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani could prove critical to the outcome of the talks. “It could prompt Trump to move toward closing the deal,” one said.
Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been in Doha since July 6 discussing a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire. The plan envisions a phased release of hostages, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and further talks aimed at ending the war.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Sunday he was “hopeful” about the negotiations. Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, is serving as a key mediator.
Israel’s security cabinet convened Tuesday evening to review the state of the negotiations. Officials said progress has been made on one of the core issues—maps outlining the Israel Defense Forces’ withdrawal—but no agreement has been finalized. Talks are expected to continue for several more days.
A source close to the negotiations said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently granted the Israeli team “greater flexibility and more room to make decisions in pursuit of a deal.”
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In addition to the Gaza talks, Trump and Sheikh Mohammed are also expected to discuss efforts to resume negotiations with Iran over a new nuclear agreement, according to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Earlier this year, Trump proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza, a move that drew sharp criticism from the United Nations, human rights groups and Palestinian officials, who called it a proposal of “ethnic cleansing.”