Israeli, Hamas and mediating delegations convened Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages — both living and deceased. The negotiations mark the first formal talks after months of deadlock, which included Israel’s failed attempt to assassinate Hamas’s leadership in Doha, Qatar.
Palestinian officials expressed skepticism about the chances of reaching a quick agreement, despite Trump’s assertion that the deal should be finalized by the end of the week. “The atmosphere is tense, but there’s still optimism that the agreement will go through,” a Hamas source told ynet. The source said the group is demanding further Israeli withdrawals and additional humanitarian concessions during the cease-fire. According to the official, at least a week will be needed before any hostages are released.
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Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Khalil al-Hayya
(Photo: Brendan Smialowski AFP, אלכס קולומויסקי)
Ahead of the talks, Hamas’s representative in Tehran reiterated the group’s conditions: “We have set our red lines—an end to the war, a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, opening the border crossings, allowing humanitarian aid and beginning reconstruction. Only after achieving these conditions will we move on to political discussions and prisoner exchanges.”
Negotiators are expected to focus on remaining disagreements over the first phase of Trump’s plan, particularly Hamas’s demand to release high-profile prisoners such as Marwan Barghouti. Israel plans to present a list of 250 life-sentence prisoners it is willing to release, out of 280 currently held. Officials believe Hamas will push for major concessions on this issue, and Israeli negotiators acknowledge the limited room for maneuver—only 30 of the most notorious inmates are expected to remain imprisoned. Hamas has also signaled it wants a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, a demand not reflected in the map Trump released Saturday.
The Israeli delegation, which landed in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday afternoon, includes Shin Bet deputy director M., hostage affairs coordinator Gal Hirsch, retired Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, Netanyahu’s foreign policy adviser Ofir Falk and representatives from the Mossad and IDF. Hirsch, who traveled to Egypt during the Sukkot holiday, brought with him the traditional arba’at ha-minim—the four species used during the festival. His wife shared a photo of his travel gear online, captioned: “Good luck, Gal, on your most important mission.”
The Hamas delegation, led by senior negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Egypt on Sunday night. Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to join later this week. Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who heads the country’s negotiating team, is also expected to arrive around the same time, depending on developments. The talks are being mediated by Egypt and Qatar.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote Monday that “thanks to President Donald Trump’s great leadership, there is now a deal to free the remaining 48 hostages. We are praying and working tirelessly to bring home all 48, including two American citizens. The United States stands unwaveringly with our close ally and partner Israel, because we know in our hearts it is right. On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to Israel and the Jewish people: you will never stand alone. As the president says, we will always remember and never forget October 7, 2023.”
Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, urged all sides “to act quickly,” warning of “bloodshed—something nobody wants.” He claimed, “I’ve been told the first phase of the agreement will be completed this week.”
After urging Israel over the weekend to “stop bombing Gaza,” Trump wrote that there had been “very positive talks with Hamas and with countries from around the world—Arab, Muslim and others—regarding the release of hostages, ending the war in Gaza and, more importantly, finally achieving peace in the Middle East. These talks have been very successful and are moving quickly.”
On Monday’s talks in Egypt, Trump said, “Technical teams will meet in Egypt to work out and clarify the final details.” He concluded, “I’ve been told the first phase will be completed this week, and I urge everyone to act quickly. I will continue to oversee this centuries-old conflict. Time is running out—or there will be bloodshed.”