Hamas negotiators have demanded clear guarantees that Israel will end its war on Gaza and withdraw its troops completely, as indirect talks continued for a second day in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh. The discussions are being mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, with the United States pushing a 20-point proposal. President Donald Trump said from Washington that there is a “real chance” of reaching a deal on the second anniversary of the war.
Hamas officials told Al Jazeera that any release of Israeli captives would happen in stages, directly linked to Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza. They said the final release of hostages must coincide with the last phase of troop withdrawal. Senior negotiator Khalil al-Hayya repeated the group’s mistrust of Israel, accusing it of breaking past truces and insisting on strong guarantees that military operations would not resume after a ceasefire.
On the Israeli side, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war would continue until Israel’s objectives were achieved. He listed those goals as the safe return of all hostages, the end of Hamas’s rule, and ensuring Gaza can no longer threaten Israel. Trump’s plan suggests a phased Israeli withdrawal tied to the release of 48 captives believed to remain in Gaza, though no clear timeline has been offered.
Qatar’s spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, said mediators were staying flexible and adjusting proposals as talks moved forward. The Qatari prime minister is expected to join the negotiations on Wednesday alongside U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Hamas also stressed that it wants the immediate reconstruction of Gaza under a Palestinian national body and made clear it does not plan to take part in governing Gaza after the conflict ends.
Despite the ongoing talks, fighting has not stopped. Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks targeted areas in Sabra, Tal al-Hawa, and near Shati Camp on Tuesday. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported at least 10 people killed in the strikes, pushing the overall death toll in Gaza to more than 66,600 since the war began. Over 100 people have died since Friday, the day Trump publicly called on Israel to halt its bombing campaign.
The talks are set to continue on Wednesday, with mediators hoping the negotiations can bring an end to the bloodshed and open the way for rebuilding Gaza.
