Israel and Hamas signaled on Saturday their readiness to engage in the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators intensified efforts to extend the fragile 42-day truce that began in January.
A Hamas spokesman said there were "positive indicators" regarding the second-phase talks but did not elaborate. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that a delegation would travel to Doha on Monday to participate in negotiations facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
"We affirm our readiness to engage in the second-phase negotiations in a way that meets the demands of our people," Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua said in a statement, calling for intensified efforts to lift the blockade on Gaza.
A Hamas delegation is currently in Cairo, where it held talks with Egyptian mediators. According to a later statement from the group, Hamas has agreed to the formation of a committee comprising "national and independent" figures to oversee Gaza’s administration until elections are held.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, addressing an Arab summit earlier, said Cairo had worked with Palestinian factions to establish an administrative committee of independent professionals to govern Gaza after the war. The summit endorsed Egypt’s reconstruction plan for Gaza, contrasting it with U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called "Middle East Riviera" vision.
Ongoing strikes
Despite diplomatic efforts, Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza. On Saturday, two Palestinians were killed in Rafah, according to medical sources. The Israeli military claimed its aircraft targeted a drone that crossed from Israel into southern Gaza, as well as "several suspects" attempting to retrieve it in what was described as a failed smuggling attempt.
A day earlier, an Israeli drone strike killed two individuals in northern Gaza, with the military alleging they were militants planting an explosive device.
Hostage release, ceasefire terms
The ceasefire deal, in effect since January 19, called for the phased release of the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. However, with the first phase concluding last week, Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza, insisting that Hamas release all captives before further negotiations on ending the war.
Since the ceasefire began, Hamas has released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli authorities believe fewer than half of the remaining hostages are still alive.
Israel’s military campaign has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The war, which has displaced nearly the entire population of the besieged enclave, has led to accusations of genocide and war crimes—charges Israel denies.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters launched an incursion into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
