Hamas Heads to Egypt for Fresh Gaza Ceasefire Talks Amid Ongoing Violence

Hamas will meet mediators in Egypt to discuss reviving the stalled Gaza ceasefire as violence continues in the territory. The talks will involve Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish officials and focus on a revised proposal for both Hamas and Israel. Key disagreements include Hamas disarmament and Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Discussions are also expected to cover Gaza’s reconstruction and governance. Gaza’s health ministry says at least 932 people have been killed since the ceasefire began.

A Hamas delegation is set to hold talks with mediators in Egypt on Wednesday as efforts continue to rescue the fragile Gaza ceasefire agreement and push negotiations toward a possible breakthrough, Hamas officials told AFP.
The planned discussions come at a time when Gaza remains deeply affected by ongoing violence and humanitarian suffering, despite the ceasefire arrangement that was intended to reduce hostilities between Israel and Hamas. Residents of the Palestinian territory continue to face daily attacks and worsening living conditions as negotiations over the next phase of the truce remain deadlocked.
According to a Hamas official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, Egypt has invited Hamas leaders and representatives of other Palestinian factions to participate in high-level talks with regional and international mediators.
The official explained that the discussions would also involve Qatari and Turkish representatives, highlighting renewed diplomatic efforts by regional actors seeking to prevent a collapse of the ceasefire agreement.
“The mediators have presented ideas aimed at formulating a new and revised proposal that could be acceptable to both Hamas and Israel,” the official said.
The Hamas delegation is expected to be headed by the group’s chief negotiator, Khalil Al Hayya. Representatives from several Palestinian factions are also expected to take part in the meetings, which will be held in the Egyptian Mediterranean town of Al Alamein. Delegations are expected to begin arriving in Cairo from Tuesday ahead of the scheduled talks.
Officials familiar with the negotiations say the mediators are attempting to bridge wide gaps between the two sides after months of stalled discussions over the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
The second phase was originally expected to include a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, increased humanitarian access, prisoner exchanges, and discussions on a more permanent end to the conflict. However, disagreements over security arrangements and political conditions have prevented further progress.
The Hamas official expressed cautious optimism ahead of the talks, saying a breakthrough remains possible if Israel avoids introducing what he described as “new obstacles” and shows genuine willingness to reach a political solution.
One of the biggest challenges facing the negotiations continues to be the issue of Hamas disarmament, which Israel considers a key condition for any long-term arrangement in Gaza.
A second Hamas official told AFP that Palestinian resistance factions would reject any attempt to impose disarmament conditions through Israeli pressure.
“The resistance factions will not accept disarmament under conditions imposed by the occupation,” the official stated.
Hamas has repeatedly insisted that it is not entirely opposed to discussing its weapons arsenal, but says any decision regarding disarmament must come within the framework of a broader Palestinian political settlement and national dialogue.
The issue has become one of the central sticking points in negotiations, with Israel demanding stronger security guarantees while Hamas argues that resistance weapons are tied to the broader Palestinian struggle and cannot be separated from political realities on the ground.
Tensions increased further last week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered the military to take control of 70 percent of Gaza, a move Hamas condemned as a direct violation of the ceasefire terms.
Hamas accused Netanyahu of undermining ongoing mediation efforts and escalating tensions instead of supporting negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The group also criticised what it described as the “complete silence” of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace and its high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, over recent Israeli actions in the territory.
According to the second Hamas official, mediators are now arranging a separate meeting in Egypt between Hamas representatives and Mladenov to discuss post-war governance and reconstruction plans for Gaza.
The discussions are expected to focus on rebuilding infrastructure destroyed during the conflict and transferring administrative responsibilities in Gaza to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
The committee, made up of 15 technocrats, was created to oversee the daily administration of Gaza under the supervision of the Board of Peace. However, despite its formation, the committee has so far been unable to enter Gaza due to ongoing security and political complications.
Reconstruction efforts in Gaza remain severely limited as humanitarian agencies continue to warn about deteriorating conditions in the territory. Thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and public facilities have reportedly been damaged or destroyed during months of conflict.
Meanwhile, violence continues across Gaza despite the ceasefire arrangement. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 932 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the truce came into effect.
The continuing casualties have raised concerns among humanitarian organisations and international observers, who fear that the ceasefire could completely collapse if negotiations fail to produce meaningful progress in the coming days.
Regional mediators are therefore hoping the Egypt talks will help revive diplomatic momentum, reduce tensions, and pave the way for broader agreements on security, governance, reconstruction, and a possible long-term political settlement in Gaza.