Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt — Israeli and Hamas delegations are set to begin indirect negotiations in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday over a U.S.-drafted plan to halt the war in Gaza, which nears its second anniversary amid continuing airstrikes and mounting uncertainty over key terms.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel’s team will be led by senior adviser and top negotiator Ron Dermer. Hamas confirmed its delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayyah — who survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar last month — arrived in Egypt on Sunday.
The talks, mediated by Egypt and joined by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, will focus first on a limited ceasefire phase. According to Hamas, the discussion will cover a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and steps to stabilise conditions inside the enclave.
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urging Israel to “stop the bombing,” strikes continued overnight. Gaza’s Health Ministry said 19 people were killed in the past 24 hours. Israel maintains operations will persist where troops face imminent threats, while insisting it supports the framework of the emerging plan.
Many of the proposal’s most contentious elements remain unresolved. Israel’s core demand is the disarmament of Hamas and an end to its role in governing Gaza — provisions the group has not accepted in full. A Hamas statement last week said it could agree to portions of the U.S. blueprint, including a hostage release, but indicated other issues require negotiation. Some Hamas officials caution more time may be needed to locate remains of captives believed buried under rubble.
Netanyahu has said the talks should last only “a few days at most,” a compressed timetable that underscores both the urgency and fragility of the effort. U.S. officials argue a Gaza deal could open a path to a broader, revamped Middle East peace process.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday praised Washington’s push, calling a ceasefire, hostage releases, Gaza’s reconstruction and a political track toward a Palestinian state “the right path toward lasting peace and solid stability.” He framed the moment within the U.S.-backed regional “peace system” that has underpinned stability since the 1970s.
Under the U.S. plan, Hamas would free the remaining 48 captives within three days, relinquish power and disarm — steps that, if realized, could mark a dramatic turning point in the conflict. For now, negotiators face a narrow window to convert tentative overlaps into binding commitments while violence on the ground continues.
