An Israeli television report on Tuesday indicated that Israel may dispatch negotiators to Doha this week for discussions aimed at reaching a comprehensive deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas and a ceasefire in Gaza. This move comes amid diplomatic pressure from Arab nations and the United States to secure a resolution to the 22-month conflict.
Despite the recent collapse of talks on a temporary ceasefire last month, the involvement of Israel, the US, and several Middle Eastern countries suggests officials have not abandoned hopes for an agreement. Following the failed negotiations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration approved a plan to launch a major military operation to capture Gaza City starting in October, with the campaign expected to extend over several months.
However, this plan seems to have intensified the urgency for negotiations, creating a roughly two-month window for renewed dialogue. While the divide between Israel and Hamas remains significant, recent developments indicate that efforts to resume talks are underway.
According to Channel 12 news, citing two informed sources, the comprehensive agreement Israeli negotiators are pursuing would encompass the release of all hostages, cessation of the war, complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, and arrangements for governing the enclave after the conflict.
Meanwhile, Egyptian mediators commenced initial talks with Hamas in Cairo on Tuesday to revive hostage negotiations, an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel, noting that the discussions are set to continue on Wednesday.
These talks were mostly preliminary, without detailed discussions on the framework the parties aim to develop.
Hamas said senior leader Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo for the talks. Hamas official Taher Nunu said in a statement that the terror group’s meetings with Egyptian officials would focus on ways to stop the war, deliver aid, and “end the suffering of our people in Gaza.”
The trip by al-Hayya, who is Hamas’s chief negotiator, comes after comments he made earlier this month implicating Cairo in the ongoing Gaza humanitarian crisis, which infuriated the Egyptians.
Despite Prime Minister Netanyahu’s insistence that Israel is no longer interested in a partial agreement, the Arab diplomat noted that mediators are likely to push for a framework similar to previous discussions — starting with a temporary truce that would evolve into a permanent ceasefire once both sides finalize the terms.
The diplomat added that while the mediators aim to negotiate a comprehensive deal that immediately ends the war and secures the simultaneous release of all 50 remaining hostages, achieving this quickly will be challenging. This is largely because Israel demands that Hamas fully surrender by relinquishing control over Gaza and disarming.
The negotiations that ultimately failed in July centered on a 60-day ceasefire, which would have included the release of roughly half of the 50 hostages held by Hamas — at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
“We are working very hard now in full cooperation with the Qataris and Americans,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said during a press conference in Cairo. “The main goal is to return to the original proposal — a 60-day ceasefire, the release of some hostages and Palestinian detainees, and unrestricted humanitarian and medical aid flowing into Gaza.”
“We are engaging with Hamas, the Israelis, and pushing for a deal based on a recent US plan,” Abdelatty added.
However, in an interview with the i24 television channel on Tuesday, Netanyahu stated that the idea of a partial hostage release deal is “behind us.”
“We made numerous attempts,” he said without providing further details. “We went far, but it became clear they were only misleading us.”
“Regardless, many hostages—both alive and deceased—will remain in their hands,” he said, seemingly referring to the proposal discussed last month. “I want everyone back—both the living and the fallen.”
“That is the goal we are pursuing. I’m not saying I’m unwilling to negotiate. I want everyone returned, but within a framework that ends the war—and that end must be on our terms,” Netanyahu added.
Israel and the United States blamed Hamas for the collapse of talks last month. In a recent interview with British commentator Piers Morgan, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee echoed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s view that Israel made repeated offers, but Hamas was “not interested,” prompting both the US and Israel to withdraw from negotiations.
On Monday, Axios reported that in a brief phone interview, President Biden appeared to agree with Netanyahu’s position that increased military pressure on Hamas is necessary.
Arab diplomats from countries mediating the talks told The Times of Israel that although Hamas introduced new demands in the proposal which led to the US and Israel recalling their negotiators, Jerusalem had also made similar moves earlier in the process, and the differences between the parties remained negotiable.
Huckabee noted that since Israel began expanding its military campaign, Hamas has shown some interest in resuming talks. “One has to wonder, are they truly serious about ending this?”
Hamas took 251 hostages in its October 7, 2023, onslaught that started the war. Of the 50 it is holding now, 49 are from that attack. It is also holding the body of a soldier killed in 2014.
