The Israeli delegation is led by Ron Dermer, Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs, and includes top defense and intelligence officials. While Israeli and Hamas representatives are not meeting face toface, the discussions are being mediated by Egyptian officials. Simultaneous consultations are being held in Cairo, where Hamas, Qatari, and American officials are present.

The negotiations follow Hamas’s reported acceptance of the majority of a ceasefire framework proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which allegedly includes a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed those claims, labeling them as “baseless”, and reiterated that no Israeli agreement has been made on a staged pullout.

Speaking to the Israeli public on Saturday, Netanyahu confirmed that the release of all hostages held by Hamas remains the top priority for Israel. He stressed that no ceasefire deal will be finalized without guarantees on the safe return of Israeli civilians and soldiers still believed to be held in Gaza.

“We will not be pressured into any agreement that does not bring our people home,” Netanyahu said during a televised address. “Israel stands firm no staged withdrawal, no false promises, only a full resolution.”

According to Israeli officials, a 72-hour countdown will begin only once Hamas formally approves the deal in full. That timeline is meant to provide an opportunity for both sides to finalize security arrangements and for international mediators to ensure compliance.

While diplomatic sources describe the current atmosphere as “cautiously optimistic,” major hurdles remain particularly around the sequence of prisoner exchanges, guarantees of non-renewed hostilities, and humanitarian access to Gaza.

This round of indirect diplomacy marks one of the most serious pushes toward a truce since hostilities escalated earlier this year. The outcome may hinge on the ability of mediators in Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh to bridge the wide trust gap between the two sides.

“All leaders agreed that the focus must remain on advancing peace and security, including reaching a lasting ceasefire, securing the release of all hostages and the disarmament of Hamas, and scaling up flows of life-saving assistance for Palestinian civilians,” it said.

The call was chaired by leftist French President Emmanuel Macron.

On the same day, leaders from Arab and Islamic states held a summit to show support for Qatar following an Israeli attack on the Gulf country last week, which Hamas said killed five of its members.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, addressing the emergency summit, said the attack occurred as Hamas leaders were studying a U.S. ceasefire proposal.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking alongside Netanyahu in Israel, Rubio said the only way to end the war in Gaza would be for Hamas fighters to free all hostages and surrender.

The September 9 strike in Doha marked an escalation of Israeli military operations in a region already affected by the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which initiated the ongoing Gaza conflict.

In a video message posted to his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to a ceasefire framework presented by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and other international mediators. He claimed Hamas had refused the proposal.

“We accepted the proposal. Hamas rejected it,” Netanyahu said, adding that the terrorist group seeks to remain entrenched in Gaza, rearm itself, and prepare for future attacks something he said Israel “will never allow.”

Netanyahu criticized media reports suggesting Israel had rejected the truce, accusing international outlets of echoing “Hamas propaganda” and being “repeatedly wrong.”

The prime minister made the comments after what he described as a “very successful” diplomatic visit, which he claimed had led to a “major victory over Iran” though no specific details were provided in the statement.

The proposed truce would reportedly involve a phased ceasefire, hostage release, and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza under international guarantees. However, talks have repeatedly stalled over Hamas’ insistence on a full Israeli withdrawal and Israel’s demand for security guarantees and the dismantling of Hamas’ military infrastructure.

The war in Gaza, now in its tenth month, has drawn international condemnation for its humanitarian toll. Multiple rounds of ceasefire talks mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have failed to produce a lasting solution.

WHAT’S NEXT:

• U.S. officials are expected to hold renewed talks in Doha this week.

• Netanyahu’s stance is likely to harden Israel’s negotiation position.

• No immediate response from Hamas had been issued at the time of this report.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks, said the breakthrough came after Trump personally spoke with Netanyahu, while Vice President JD Vance and members of Trump’s national security team engaged in direct communication with Tehran.

The ceasefire, which took effect early Tuesday, ended 12 days of intensifying conflict that saw Iranian missile attacks on Israeli-held territories and retaliatory threats from Israel and its allies.

“Israel agreed to halt its military operations provided that Iran refrains from launching any new attacks,” the U.S. official confirmed. “Tehran signaled its intent to stand down, which was key to finalizing the agreement.”

While Trump publicly announced the ceasefire, the behind the scenes diplomacy only became clear Tuesday morning as both sides began to implement the truce.

Iranian state media confirmed the deal came into effect following a final wave of missile strikes that killed at least seven people in southern Israel. No new attacks have been reported since the agreement took effect.

The Israeli military has since lifted public shelter orders nationwide, a move signaling confidence that the ceasefire will hold at least for now.

Experts have noted the deal’s unusual structure, with Iran initiating the stand down and Israel agreeing to follow 12 hours later. While the ceasefire has brought immediate calm, regional analysts caution that its durability will depend on whether hardline factions in either country choose to escalate.