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Efforts to revive a Gaza ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages ended without agreement, Reuters reported on Monday, quoting Egyptian and Palestinian sources. Talks held in Cairo concluded with no breakthrough, as differences remain between Hamas and Israel over the path to ending the war, the report suggests.
Sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters that Hamas remained firm in its position that any deal must lead to a full cessation of the war in Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, reportedly said it will continue military operations until Hamas is dismantled. The Palestinian group, designated as a terrorist network by the U.S., EU, and other countries, has rejected any demand to disarm.
Despite differences, negotiators reported that a Hamas delegation, led by Gaza Chief Khalil Al-Hayya, showed “some flexibility” in the number of hostages it would release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners if a truce were extended, the report said.
An Egyptian source told the news agency that a new proposal would see Hamas release more hostages than previously agreed. “Hamas has no problem, but it wants guarantees Israel agrees to begin the talks on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement” that would lead to ending the war, the source reportedly said.
Israeli minister Zeev Elkin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, confirmed to Army Radio that Israel is seeking the release of about 10 hostages, up from Hamas’s earlier offer of five.
Meanwhile, Hamas has reportedly asked for more time to respond to the latest proposal.
During the six-week ceasefire that began in January, Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees. However, the second phase of that deal—meant to pave the way toward ending the war—never began.
Since Israel resumed its military campaign last month, more than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced, according to local authorities.
Currently, 59 Israeli hostages are reported to still be held captive in Gaza. Israel believes up to 24 of them are still alive.
According to the report, Palestinian officials say the renewed Israeli airstrikes have been some of the most deadly and intense since the conflict began.
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha on Sunday, where both leaders – key mediators in the ceasefire talks – discussed the need for “additional international guarantees” beyond those provided by Egypt and Qatar, the report said, citing an Egyptian source.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has backed Israel’s military actions and called for Palestinians to leave Gaza, said last week that progress was being made in hostage negotiations.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, the Israeli offensive has killed more than 50,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
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