Cairo: The Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh has turned into a stage for one of the most sensitive negotiations in years. Envoys from Israel and Hamas are holding indirect discussions on U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal aimed at ending the Gaza war.
Al-Qahera News, which has close ties to Egyptian intelligence, said on Monday that the delegates are working on “preparing ground conditions for the release of detainees and prisoners” under the framework of Trump’s plan. It said “Egyptian and Qatari mediators are working with both sides to establish a mechanism” for the exchange.
The meetings come two years after the Hamas attacks that triggered Israel’s full-scale war. The conflict has already killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza. Trump believes his plan can finally end the bloodshed. He wants it done quickly.
On his social media platform Truth Social, he wrote that there were “very positive discussions with Hamas” and other governments to “release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought peace in the Middle East”.
“These talks have been very successful and proceeding rapidly. I am asking everyone to move fast … time is of the essence or massive bloodshed will follow,” he wrote.
Trump says the “first phase should be completed this week”. His team believes both sides are ready.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the release of 48 Israeli captives held by Hamas, 20 believed to be alive, could be announced soon. The plan offers a prisoner swap: Hamas releases the Israeli hostages and Israel frees Palestinian prisoners. It also includes Hamas surrendering control of Gaza and Israel pulling back its forces.
Unclear Road Ahead
The framework leaves many questions unanswered. There is no timeline for Hamas’s disarmament. The mention of a Palestinian state remains vague. The absence of clarity has worried both sides.
Israel demands that all captives be released together within 72 hours. It also wants to keep the right to act against Hamas and insists its withdrawal boundaries are already defined.
Israeli media reported the first stage of talks would take place between Hamas and the mediators, with Israeli and U.S. representatives joining later in the week.
Trump has asked Israel to halt airstrikes during negotiations. But the bombing continues. Israeli spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters that military actions remain “for defensive purposes” and that “no ceasefire” exists.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on ABC’s ‘This Week’ that once Hamas accepts the plan, two steps would follow. First, Hamas would release the captives. Second, Israel would pull back to what he called the “yellow line”, the position its forces held in August.
Rubio said Hamas must act quickly and Israel must stop bombardment to allow the process.
Hamas’s Future At The Core
Trump’s plan removes Hamas from power but allows its members to remain if they disarm and reject violence. Hamas has shown willingness to discuss. It says it wants to free captives and form a “Palestinian national framework” to guide Gaza’s governance.
This position has ignited anger inside Israel’s ruling coalition. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said, “Alongside the important goal in and of itself of releasing the hostages, the central goal of the war, which stems from the October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas monsters, is that the terrorist organisation Hamas cannot be allowed to remain in existence.”
He warned Netanyahu that his party, Otzma Yehudit, would quit the government if Hamas survives after the deal. “We will not be part of a national defeat that will bring eternal shame to the world, and that will become a ticking time bomb for the next massacre,” he said.
Amid this political storm, Opposition leader Yair Lapid offered a temporary lifeline to Netanyahu. On Sunday, he pledged support to the government “to prevent its collapse at the hands of extremist and irresponsible partners” during the peace process.
For now, the talks in Egypt continue behind closed doors. The atmosphere is fragile. The stakes are enormous. Every line agreed or left open could decide the end, or the return, of Gaza’s long and bloody war.