Despite Hamas formally partially agreeing to key elements of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan and Israel i Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to implement the first stage, a full resolution to the Gaza war remains uncertain. The partial acceptance by Hamas and Israel’s initial moves have raised hopes for a breakthrough, but critical gaps over disarmament, governance, and troop withdrawal continue to keep the conflict unresolved. The conflict’s human toll, and the political stakes for Netanyahu and Hamas, make even tentative steps fraught with tension and uncertainty.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Sunday that there is finally a framework for ending the war in Gaza and freeing the remaining hostages. "What gives you hope here is that at least there now is a framework for how all of this can come to an end, and those hostages can be released," Rubio told Fox News, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was close to finalizing a hostage deal with Hamas. He indicated that Israel was preparing to take the first steps outlined in President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war.
President Trump on Sunday also urged Hamas and Israeli negotiators to "move fast" as they are set to meet in Egypt for talks aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. "There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST," he added.
Rubio said progress had been made but cautioned that the war was not yet over. Asked whether the conflict had ended, he said, "Well, not yet. There's some work that remains to be done."
A day before the indirect talks were scheduled to begin in Egypt, Israel said it had shifted its forces in Gaza to a defensive posture.
Trump’s 20-point plan and hostage deal
Trump presented a 20-point plan last Monday to free the remaining hostages held in Gaza and end Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. Around 20 hostages are believed to be alive and another 25 dead in Gaza.
On Friday, hours after Trump said that an agreement must be reached within days or Hamas would face "all HELL," the group announced that it was ready to release all hostages under the plan’s terms.
Trump’s proposal calls for hostages to be exchanged for 250 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel and 1,700 Gaza residents detained during the war. Trump welcomed Hamas’ statement, saying the group was "ready for a lasting PEACE."
Several hours after Hamas released its statement, Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for "the immediate release of all the hostages" and would continue working with Trump "to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set forth by Israel."
Netanyahu said Saturday that he hoped to tell Israelis "in the coming days" that the remaining hostages were coming home. Israeli negotiators were expected to travel to Egypt for talks on finalizing the deal, he added.
Israel’s military remains positioned at key locations in the Gaza Strip. It launched an expanded ground offensive in Gaza City in September, leading to mass displacement of Palestinians to southern Gaza. Israel maintains that Gaza City remains one of Hamas’s last strongholds.
Hamas, Israel still at odds over key issues
It remains uncertain whether Hamas would agree to disarm. The group has not said whether it accepts having no future role in Gaza’s administration, only stating that it would transfer governance "to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats."
Netanyahu has repeatedly said Israel would not accept any deal that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza. "This will happen either diplomatically, according to Trump's plan, or militarily — at our hands," he said on Saturday. "This will be achieved the easy way or the hard way, but it will be achieved."
While Hamas’ response to Trump’s plan has been welcomed by the US and several other countries, key questions about the end of the war remain unresolved.
Trump’s 20-point plan requires Hamas to release all hostages within 72 hours, surrender power to a transitional international authority led by Trump, and disarm. In exchange, Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza in stages and release more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
The plan also includes large-scale humanitarian aid to Gaza and reconstruction support for areas destroyed by the war.
Hamas has agreed to three points — the release of hostages, the surrender of administrative power, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. However, it said other elements of the deal would need to be discussed collectively with other Palestinian factions as part of a "collective national stance."
This means Hamas wants further negotiations on contentious issues, including the disarmament clause and a concrete timeline for Israeli withdrawal.
Next round of talks set in Egypt
A new round of talks between Israel and Hamas is set to begin Monday in Egypt. The two sides will negotiate indirectly, with Qatari and Egyptian mediators relaying messages.
Tuesday will mark two years since the Hamas-led attack that triggered the war.
An Israeli delegation led by chief negotiator Ron Dermer is expected to leave for Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, Netanyahu’s office said. Egyptian officials confirmed that the Hamas delegation had already arrived. Talks will focus on the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, according to Egypt’s foreign ministry.
Bridging gaps will be crucial to final deal
Both sides are entering the talks with reservations.
Hamas has previously refused to disarm, and it has not indicated any change in its stance. Trump and Israel have both said there is little flexibility on this issue, emphasizing that disarmament must be part of any deal.
Hamas has said it is willing to hand over power to a Palestinian technocratic government, but not to the international transitional authority outlined in Trump’s plan.
Israel, meanwhile, has left its troop withdrawal timeline vague. Just hours after Trump announced the peace plan, Netanyahu released a video assuring Israelis that troops would stay in most of Gaza.
On Saturday night, Netanyahu again said Israeli forces would remain "deep inside the strip" even as hostages were released. His statement conflicts with Trump’s plan, which requires full Israeli withdrawal. Hamas is likely to seek guarantees that Israeli forces will leave and that international mechanisms will ensure compliance.
Negotiators will have to close the gaps by obtaining firm commitments on Hamas’ disarmament and Israel’s withdrawal. The US is expected to push both sides toward a final agreement.
However, both parties remain cautious. Previous negotiations over the past two years have repeatedly collapsed at the final stage, leaving diplomats wary of predicting success until a formal agreement is signed.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Sunday that there is finally a framework for ending the war in Gaza and freeing the remaining hostages. "What gives you hope here is that at least there now is a framework for how all of this can come to an end, and those hostages can be released," Rubio told Fox News, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was close to finalizing a hostage deal with Hamas. He indicated that Israel was preparing to take the first steps outlined in President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war.
President Trump on Sunday also urged Hamas and Israeli negotiators to "move fast" as they are set to meet in Egypt for talks aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. "There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST," he added.
Rubio said progress had been made but cautioned that the war was not yet over. Asked whether the conflict had ended, he said, "Well, not yet. There's some work that remains to be done."
A day before the indirect talks were scheduled to begin in Egypt, Israel said it had shifted its forces in Gaza to a defensive posture.
Trump’s 20-point plan and hostage deal
Trump presented a 20-point plan last Monday to free the remaining hostages held in Gaza and end Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. Around 20 hostages are believed to be alive and another 25 dead in Gaza.
On Friday, hours after Trump said that an agreement must be reached within days or Hamas would face "all HELL," the group announced that it was ready to release all hostages under the plan’s terms.
Trump’s proposal calls for hostages to be exchanged for 250 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel and 1,700 Gaza residents detained during the war. Trump welcomed Hamas’ statement, saying the group was "ready for a lasting PEACE."
Several hours after Hamas released its statement, Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for "the immediate release of all the hostages" and would continue working with Trump "to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set forth by Israel."
Netanyahu said Saturday that he hoped to tell Israelis "in the coming days" that the remaining hostages were coming home. Israeli negotiators were expected to travel to Egypt for talks on finalizing the deal, he added.
Israel’s military remains positioned at key locations in the Gaza Strip. It launched an expanded ground offensive in Gaza City in September, leading to mass displacement of Palestinians to southern Gaza. Israel maintains that Gaza City remains one of Hamas’s last strongholds.
Hamas, Israel still at odds over key issues
It remains uncertain whether Hamas would agree to disarm. The group has not said whether it accepts having no future role in Gaza’s administration, only stating that it would transfer governance "to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats."
Netanyahu has repeatedly said Israel would not accept any deal that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza. "This will happen either diplomatically, according to Trump's plan, or militarily — at our hands," he said on Saturday. "This will be achieved the easy way or the hard way, but it will be achieved."
While Hamas’ response to Trump’s plan has been welcomed by the US and several other countries, key questions about the end of the war remain unresolved.
Trump’s 20-point plan requires Hamas to release all hostages within 72 hours, surrender power to a transitional international authority led by Trump, and disarm. In exchange, Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza in stages and release more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
The plan also includes large-scale humanitarian aid to Gaza and reconstruction support for areas destroyed by the war.
Hamas has agreed to three points — the release of hostages, the surrender of administrative power, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. However, it said other elements of the deal would need to be discussed collectively with other Palestinian factions as part of a "collective national stance."
This means Hamas wants further negotiations on contentious issues, including the disarmament clause and a concrete timeline for Israeli withdrawal.
Next round of talks set in Egypt
A new round of talks between Israel and Hamas is set to begin Monday in Egypt. The two sides will negotiate indirectly, with Qatari and Egyptian mediators relaying messages.
Tuesday will mark two years since the Hamas-led attack that triggered the war.
An Israeli delegation led by chief negotiator Ron Dermer is expected to leave for Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, Netanyahu’s office said. Egyptian officials confirmed that the Hamas delegation had already arrived. Talks will focus on the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, according to Egypt’s foreign ministry.
Bridging gaps will be crucial to final deal
Both sides are entering the talks with reservations.
Hamas has previously refused to disarm, and it has not indicated any change in its stance. Trump and Israel have both said there is little flexibility on this issue, emphasizing that disarmament must be part of any deal.
Hamas has said it is willing to hand over power to a Palestinian technocratic government, but not to the international transitional authority outlined in Trump’s plan.
Israel, meanwhile, has left its troop withdrawal timeline vague. Just hours after Trump announced the peace plan, Netanyahu released a video assuring Israelis that troops would stay in most of Gaza.
On Saturday night, Netanyahu again said Israeli forces would remain "deep inside the strip" even as hostages were released. His statement conflicts with Trump’s plan, which requires full Israeli withdrawal. Hamas is likely to seek guarantees that Israeli forces will leave and that international mechanisms will ensure compliance.
Negotiators will have to close the gaps by obtaining firm commitments on Hamas’ disarmament and Israel’s withdrawal. The US is expected to push both sides toward a final agreement.
However, both parties remain cautious. Previous negotiations over the past two years have repeatedly collapsed at the final stage, leaving diplomats wary of predicting success until a formal agreement is signed.
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