Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Sunday press conference, where he announced orders to expedite the IDF’s takeover of Gaza City, sources close to Hamas told Ynet on Monday that a delegation from the terror group is set to meet senior Egyptian intelligence officials on Monday.
The discussions will focus on Israel’s threats to launch a major military operation in Gaza City, recent developments in ceasefire negotiations and the implications of a recent meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatar’s prime minister in Ibiza.
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Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyuahu
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit, Yair Sagi, Yuval Chen, REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein, Khalil Hamra/AP)
Arab media outlets have reported intensified efforts by mediators to revive ceasefire talks. The Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar noted that Egypt awaits a Hamas delegation as part of Cairo and Doha’s push to restart negotiations before Israel’s planned military operation.
Qatar’s Al-Araby channel reported that senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya will lead the delegation. Al-Akhbar further highlighted efforts in Cairo and Doha to craft an alternative plan amid stalled talks, citing Egyptian sources who point to Israel’s ambiguous stance and conflicting signals—oscillating between delaying military action and preparing for immediate moves—as a key obstacle.
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The London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that Qatari mediators met Hamas leaders in Doha last Thursday to discuss new ceasefire proposals. While details remain undisclosed and no date has been set for the next round of talks, the proposal explores a compromise between a comprehensive and partial deal, potentially involving a 60-day ceasefire backed by U.S. and international guarantees to prevent renewed fighting.
Al-Akhbar also addressed a reported U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration’s plan to relocate a million Gazans to Libya, which Libyan sources dismissed as “not on the table,” despite ongoing U.S.-Libya communication. Cairo fears Trump’s pressure could shift Libya’s position, prompting Egypt to engage Tripoli directly.
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U.S. President Donald Trump, Palestinians in Gaza
(Photo: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
In his press conference, Netanyahu vowed to defeat Hamas using “sophisticated methods that will surprise them.” Following the event, Netanyahu spoke with Trump, and the Prime Minister's Office reported that they discussed Israel’s plans to seize remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza to end the war by freeing hostages and dismantling the group. “The prime minister thanked President Trump for his steadfast support of Israel since the war began,” the statement read.
On the negotiation front, Israeli team members suggested the gaps with Hamas were bridgeable, but Netanyahu claimed Hamas demanded “surrender terms,” including the release of Nukhba terrorists, international guarantees against renewed fighting and withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor—conditions he said no government would accept.
“There was no chance for a deal,” Netanyahu insisted. However, some negotiators and mediators argued a deal was achievable, accusing Israel of hastily derailing the process.