Mediators gather in Sharm El-Sheikh for high-stakes Gaza ceasefire talks, as Hamas demands guarantees from President Donald Trump and allies that Israel will end the war and withdraw troops under Trump’s 20-point peace plan.
New Momentum in Gaza Peace Talks
CAIRO — Diplomacy intensified on Wednesday as US, Qatari, and Turkish envoys joined Hamas and Israeli negotiators for a third day of Gaza peace talks in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The talks, mediated under President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, aim to secure a ceasefire, hostage releases, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Turkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Trump’s Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are among the senior figures attending the negotiations.
“There’s a real chance that we could do something,” Trump told reporters from the White House, expressing optimism about achieving peace in the Middle East and the immediate release of hostages.
Trump also vowed that the United States would ensure all parties adhere to any final agreement.
Two Years of War and Global Pressure
The talks come as Israel marks the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that triggered the Gaza war. That assault — the deadliest in Israel’s history — left 1,219 people dead and 251 taken hostage.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since devastated Gaza, killing at least 67,160 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, with more than half reported to be women and children.
The United Nations has accused Israel of genocide, while rights groups have accused both Israel and Hamas of war crimes and crimes against humanity — claims both sides deny.
Worldwide outrage continues to mount. Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands marched in solidarity with Palestinians across Europe, demanding an immediate end to the Gaza war.
Hamas Demands ‘Real Guarantees’
At the center of negotiations, Hamas’s top negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya has insisted the group needs “guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all.”
Under Trump’s plan, Hamas would disarm, release all hostages, and Israel would withdraw its troops in stages. But Hamas has made clear it wants firm assurances that Israel will not resume military operations once the agreement takes effect.
A Palestinian source told Al Jazeera that Tuesday’s talks focused on withdrawal maps and a timeline for hostage–prisoner exchanges. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty added that US envoys Kushner and Witkoff would arrive Wednesday, noting that “President Trump himself is the primary guarantee of success.”
High Stakes, Fragile Hopes
Despite deep mistrust between the parties, this round of Gaza ceasefire talks represents the most promising diplomatic opening in months. Mediators hope Trump’s direct involvement and international coordination can finally deliver a sustained peace deal.
For now, however, bombs still fall on Gaza as negotiators gather in Egypt — and the world watches closely for a breakthrough that could end one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history.