Delegations from Israel and Hamas held their first day of indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday on U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to halt the war in Gaza, wrestling with contentious issues such as demands that Israel withdraw and Hamas disarm, APA reports, citing Reuters.
A Palestinian official close to the negotiations said the first session ended late Monday evening and more talks were due to take place on Tuesday.
Hamas outlined its stance on the release of hostages and the scale and timeline of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, the official said. The Islamist group also voiced concerns about whether Israel would commit to a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive pullout, the official said.
Even as the talks concluded for the day, sounds of explosions from airstrikes and demolition of houses could be heard in Gaza City, signifying that Israel had not ceased its bombardment.
The talks commenced on the eve of the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, on Israel that triggered the war.
A senior Israeli security source said the talks initially would focus only on the release of hostages and give Hamas a few days to complete that phase.
srael will not compromise on withdrawing troops only to the so-called yellow line in Gaza — a boundary for an initial Israeli pullback under the Trump plan, the source said. It would create a strategic buffer zone, and further withdrawal would depend on Hamas meeting set conditions.
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