Gaza truce talks advance

Mediators press for a pause and a phased hostage release as Hamas weighs a 60 day framework and the PA moves to reassert Gaza governance.

Gaza Truce Talks Push Forward Amid New 60 Day Proposal

Hamas has received a new proposal for a 60 day truce with a two phase hostage release, according to a Palestinian official. The plan comes as Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani travels to Egypt to push talks forward. Details on how many hostages would be freed in each phase were not released, and Hamas is expected to consult its leadership and other Palestinian factions before responding.

The discussions are part of a broader diplomatic push led by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, with Turkey also involved in brokering the resumption of talks. The aim is to prevent a broader Israeli offensive and to set the stage for a potential permanent ceasefire, though the precise terms remain unsettled and contested by all sides. At the same time, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa visited the Rafah crossing to signal ongoing efforts and the PA’s intent to retake Gaza’s governance in the future.

Mediators are balancing competing demands: Israel’s insistence on a full hostage release versus Hamas’ preference for a staged approach, and the PA’s bid to reestablish formal governance in Gaza. If the proposal gains traction, it could slow or redirect a looming Israeli offensive, but it also carries risks of fragmentation within Palestinian leadership and new political fault lines among regional backers. The timing matters: international attention is high, but so are the stakes for civilians who remain in Gaza and for Israelis who fear renewed violence. A fragile framework may buy time without delivering lasting relief, underscoring how diplomacy now tests the limits of leverage and trust.

Highlights

Diplomacy continues to operate in a landscape where every concession carries a price.