Diplomats from Israel set to engage in discussions in Qatar concerning a potential ceasefire for Gaza.
In the ongoing efforts to end the Gaza conflict, Hamas has outlined its key conditions for a proposed 60-day truce. The key demands include a focus on humanitarian aid, Israeli military withdrawal, hostage release, and negotiations towards a permanent peace agreement.
Top diplomat Badr Abdelatty is involved in the truce talks, along with the Egyptian foreign ministry, US representative Steve Witkoff, and Qatar, who are all working to facilitate indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas insists that after the ceasefire begins, the United Nations must resume running the humanitarian aid delivery system in Gaza. They demand that the Israel and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund not be involved in aid distribution during the truce.
The truce proposal includes Hamas handing over 10 live hostages and 18 deceased hostages to Israel during the ceasefire period. The Israeli military, however, has yet to comment on specific details of the hostage release.
Hamas also requires that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdraw to their boundaries as they existed before the ceasefire collapsed in March 2025. This implies a pullback to pre-conflict lines.
During the 60-day ceasefire, there would be indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, to work toward a permanent resolution to the conflict. The mediators also commit to extending the ceasefire beyond 60 days if more time is needed for negotiations.
Aid would be distributed by United Nations agencies and the Palestinian Red Crescent during the truce. However, Hamas specifically wants to exclude the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund from this process.
Israel has rejected Hamas's demands related to the humanitarian aid management and security boundaries. Protests were held in Tel Aviv on Saturday demanding the return of hostages still in the Gaza Strip, with Macabit Mayer, the aunt of captives Gali and Ziv Berman, calling for a deal "that saves everyone."
The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the over two million people in the Gaza Strip. More than 500 people have died while waiting to access food from GHF distribution points, according to UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani. On Sunday, 14 people were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, according to the Gaza's civil defence agency, but the toll cannot be independently verified.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet with US President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss ending the Gaza conflict. The Israeli delegation is expected in Doha on Sunday for talks on a Gaza truce and hostage release deal.
Karima al-Ras, from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, expressed hope for a truce to allow in more aid, stating "People are dying for flour." As negotiations continue, both sides remain hopeful for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, with Hamas stating they are ready to engage immediately and seriously in negotiations.
- The United Nations, involved in the humanitarian aid delivery system in Gaza as per Hamas's demands, is set to resume its role during the proposed 60-day truce in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
- Beyond the 60-day ceasefire, Hamas remains actively engaged in negotiations, showcasing their readiness for immediate and serious discussions, focusing on resolving the politics of war-and-conflicts and achieving a permanent peace agreement that would also address general news concerns such as security boundaries and humanitarian aid management.
