Turkey aligns with Qatar and Egypt for a comprehensive Israel-Hamas agreement surpassing truce limits
Headline: Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey Advance Ceasefire Deal Between Israel and Hamas
The Middle East is witnessing a significant development as Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are actively working towards a comprehensive ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. According to reports, Hamas has accepted the proposed framework, while Israel has yet to formally agree.
Current Status
Hamas’s political leadership, including Khalil al-Hayya, has been engaging in talks in Cairo with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators. Hamas has accepted the proposed framework, which has been sent to Israel by Egypt and Qatar, but Israel has not publicly agreed to the latest iteration, keeping its prior demands unchanged, especially regarding hostages.
Key Terms of the Proposed Deal
The deal is structured in phases and aims to end hostilities and address key humanitarian and political issues. The first phase includes a temporary cease-fire and the partial release of prisoners while advanced negotiations take place on disarming Hamas and gradually restoring control over the Gaza Strip.
The agreement includes the freezing of the military wing’s weapons with guarantees from Egyptian and Turkish mediators. A comprehensive prisoner exchange is also part of the deal, with the release of all living Israeli captives and return of deceased Israeli soldiers’ remains in exchange for the release of an unspecified number of Palestinian detainees.
Hamas would conditionaly accept a revised Israeli military deployment in Gaza, to be overseen by Arab and American observers pending negotiations on Hamas’s governance and military status. Subsequent negotiations would focus on a permanent ceasefire and lasting political arrangements, including Gaza’s reconstruction and governance issues.
Context
This framework echoes the Biden administration’s May 2024 proposal and the ceasefire agreement that began in January 2025, which envisioned phased steps from ceasefire to negotiations on longer-term peace and governance. The proposal aims to avoid Israeli full occupation of Gaza City and mitigate a humanitarian disaster while creating space to resolve contentious political questions about Hamas’s future role and Israeli security.
Recent Developments
During a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, the Turkish minister rejected Israel's intention to fully occupy Gaza, calling it a new phase of Israel’s expansionist and genocidal policy. The Egyptian capital is witnessing intensive diplomatic efforts in an attempt to bridge differences amid complex political and on-the-ground realities in the Palestinian arena and under regional and international pressure to de-escalate and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
A senior Hamas delegation visited Ankara last week to discuss the latest developments and efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with Turkish officials. The anticipated deal in the Cairo talks could offer solutions beyond a mere cease-fire, encompassing prisoner exchanges, the restructuring of the enclave's civil administration, and the establishment of international mechanisms to ensure stability. Cairo has expressed readiness to receive a Hamas delegation as part of new regional efforts to address outstanding issues.
[1] The New Arab, “Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are pushing for a comprehensive ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas,” August 2025. [2] Reuters, “Hamas accepts ceasefire deal with Israel, but talks with Egypt and Qatar stall,” August 2025. [3] Al Jazeera, “Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire after 11 days of violence,” January 2025. [4] Haaretz, “Israeli government plans to gradually occupy the Gaza Strip,” August 2025. [5] The Washington Post, “U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff may resume mediation efforts despite earlier withdrawal due to trust issues,” August 2025.
- The Turkish minister, during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, has spoken out against Israel's intention to fully occupy Gaza, calling it a new phase of Israel’s expansionist and genocidal policy.
- Despite Hamas having accepted the proposed ceasefire deal, negotiations between Israel and Egypt and Qatar regarding the latest iteration have stalled, with Israel maintaining its prior demands, especially regarding hostages.
- In a sign of continued diplomatic efforts, a senior Hamas delegation recently visited Ankara to discuss the latest developments and efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with Turkish officials.
- The upcoming deal under discussion in Cairo may not only offer a ceasefire, but could also encompass prisoner exchanges, the restructuring of the enclave's civil administration, and the establishment of international mechanisms to ensure stability in Gaza.
