Israel and Hamas signaled on Saturday their readiness to enter the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators intensified efforts to extend the fragile 42-day truce that has been in place since January.
A drone view shows houses destroyed during the Israeli offensive, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, March 5, 2025. ReutersMahmoud Al-Basos
Israel and Hamas signaled on Saturday their readiness to enter the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators intensified efforts to extend the fragile 42-day truce that has been in place since January.
A Hamas delegation is currently in Cairo, engaged in discussions with Egyptian mediators who, along with Qatari officials, have been facilitating negotiations. The group stated that there were "positive indicators" for the second phase of the ceasefire deal but did not elaborate further.
Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua affirmed the group's commitment to moving forward with negotiations in a manner that meets the demands of the Palestinian people.
"We affirm our readiness to engage in the second-phase negotiations in a way that meets the demands of our people, and we call for intensified efforts to aid the Gaza Strip and lift the blockade on our suffering people," Al-Qanoua said.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that Israel had accepted an invitation from mediators, backed by the United States, to send a delegation to Doha on Monday to advance the negotiations.
"Israel has accepted the invitation of the mediators backed by the US, and will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an effort to advance the negotiations."
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, violence has not fully ceased. On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinians in Rafah, southern Gaza, according to medical sources. The Israeli military stated that its aircraft targeted a drone that crossed from Israel into southern Gaza and struck several individuals attempting to retrieve it, calling the event a botched smuggling attempt.
This follows another Israeli drone strike on Friday, which killed two people in northern Gaza. The Israeli military claimed that those targeted were militants attempting to plant an explosive device near Israeli troops.
Key Sticking Points in the Ceasefire Deal
The ceasefire agreement that took effect in January was structured in multiple phases. The first phase, which ended last week, saw Hamas release 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The second phase of the ceasefire is meant to include the release of the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas, followed by final negotiations to end the war. However, Israel has imposed a total blockade on all goods entering Gaza since the first phase ended, demanding that Hamas free the remaining hostages without preconditions.
Israeli officials estimate that fewer than half of the remaining hostages are still alive.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters launched a raid into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. In response, Israel launched a massive military assault on Gaza, triggering a humanitarian catastrophe.
As negotiations continue, the key question remains whether both sides will agree to the terms of a longer-term ceasefire. Mediators hope that the talks in Doha and Cairo will lead to a resolution that can prevent further bloodshed, but deep mistrust between the parties poses a significant challenge.
The coming days will determine whether diplomacy can prevail, or if the cycle of violence will resume in full force.
By Nathalie Leemak
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Meetings between Hamas leaders and U.S. hostage negotiator Adam Boehler in recent days have focused on the release of an American-Israeli dual national being held by the militant group in Gaza, a senior Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday.
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