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All eyes are on Egypt as indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel regarding the war in Gaza are set to begin on Monday. The US and Israel are pressing for the swift release of hostages.
These talks come after Hamas agreed to certain parts of a 20-point US peace plan, which includes the release of hostages and the transfer of Gaza's governance to Palestinian technocrats. However, Hamas is seeking negotiations on additional issues. Notably, the group's response did not address the key demands for disarmament or for a cessation of its role in Gaza's governance.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued, despite President Donald Trump urging Israel on Friday to "immediately stop the bombing" after Hamas responded to the proposed plan.
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian informed reporters on Sunday that "while certain bombings have actually stopped inside the Gaza Strip, there is no ceasefire in place at this point in time." Bedrosian explained that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered that "if there is a threat to their life on the battlefield in Gaza, they should fire back for defensive purposes."
Reports from Gaza indicated that Israeli airstrikes and tank fire continued overnight into Sunday, resulting in the destruction of several residential buildings in Gaza City. A BBC correspondent reported hearing explosions from inside Gaza and seeing a plume of smoke near the border in Kibbutz Be'eri, Israel, on Sunday morning. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, another 65 people were killed by Israeli military operations in the 24 hours leading up to midday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the need to stop the bombing to facilitate the hostage release. "You can't release hostages while there are still bombardments going on... that has to stop, but you also have to work through the other logistics," Rubio told CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday. "We want to get the hostages out as soon as possible," he added.
The 20-point plan calls for an immediate end to fighting and the release of 48 hostages, of which only 20 are believed to be alive, in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans. Netanyahu stated in a televised address on Saturday that he hoped to announce the release of hostages "in the coming days." Bedrosian noted that the prime minister has "made it clear that, in an agreement with the Trump administration, talks will be confined to just a few days."
Israeli negotiations will move to Egypt on Sunday night for the crucial talks set to start on Monday. US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will also be in attendance. These talks are expected to be among the most consequential since the war began and could determine whether a path towards ending the conflict is finally within reach.
Many Palestinians characterized Hamas' response to the peace plan as unexpected, following days of indications that the group appeared ready to reject or heavily condition its acceptance of Trump's proposal. Instead, Hamas refrained from including its traditional "red lines" in the official statement, which many interpret as a reaction to external pressure.
A senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC that Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators played a significant role in persuading Hamas to tone down its objections and to set aside contentious issues such as the fate of its weapons, future governance of Gaza, and other concerns for discussion during negotiations.
While this tactical flexibility may carry considerable risk, many Gazans warn that every additional day of delay results in more deaths, destruction, and displacement for hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza. Hamas' decision to enter talks without explicit preconditions may also reflect a recognition of its diminished leverage after nearly two years of conflict.
When asked by CNN's Jake Tapper about the implications if Hamas insists on remaining in power in Gaza, Trump responded in a text message that the group would face "complete obliteration." He also stated on social media that Israel had agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza, the first in a proposed series of pullbacks by Israeli forces.
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According to population distribution data in the Gaza Strip, Trump's withdrawal map would initially exclude nearly 900,000 Palestinians from returning to their homes. The proposed lines carve out areas such as Rafah at the southernmost edge, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia in the north, nearly a quarter of Gaza City, and half of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah in the center and south. Hamas rejected a similar map during previous rounds of talks in March and May of this year.
The Israeli military began its campaign in Gaza in response to a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, the health ministry reports that 67,139 people have been killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza.
International journalists have been banned by Israel from entering the Gaza Strip independently since the start of the war, making verifying claims from both sides difficult.
For now, the region holds its breath as negotiators prepare to gather in Egypt, hoping that, despite deep mistrust and political fragility, this round might finally open the way toward a ceasefire