Israel and the US, with mediation by Qatar and Egypt and with the involvement of the Palestinian Authority, continue to pursue a hostage deal. Parallel to these negotiations, the Israel Defense Forces are pushing ahead in Rafah, taking over one area at a time, consolidating control in northern Gaza, and gearing up for the next phase of combat.
Egypt, which has joined the demand for Hamas to fully disarm, as first reported by Israel Hayom, is now leading the mediation efforts. According to the Qatari channel Al-Araby, Egypt's proposal places demilitarization at the top of the agenda. In return, Hamas would receive a long-term ceasefire of at least five years.
Sources involved in the negotiations say Egypt is providing Israel with regular updates on the proposals, terms, and outcomes of talks with Hamas leaders. A Hamas delegation expected in Cairo is anticipated to address primarily the demand to relinquish all weaponry - a condition that senior Hamas officials in recent weeks have called a "red line."
Egyptian officials have made it clear to Hamas that any further refusal to disarm will lead to an escalation in Israel's military campaign. Reports indicate that the organization's remaining military and civilian supplies are expected to run out within a month to six weeks.
Attempts at compromise
Cairo is attempting to soften Hamas' opposition by offering immunity for its leadership and suggesting the group could play a future role in governing the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories more broadly. However, the Palestinian Authority has rejected such a proposal.
A senior Palestinian Authority official said the possibility of integrating Hamas into any governing body would be pushed far into the future, if at all, citing the "bitter experience" of Hamas' 2007 takeover of Gaza, during which hundreds of Fatah members and PA officials were killed. He added that any such agreement would require Hamas to hand over all its weapons to Egypt "down to the last Kalashnikov bullet."
Israeli assessment: Hamas is buying time
Israeli intelligence and defense officials believe Hamas is stalling, hoping that internal political turmoil in Israel and pressure from ongoing protests will push the government into accepting a more favorable deal. While this assessment is echoed by senior officials, others warn that any further military escalation could place the lives of the hostages in significant danger.
Israel is reviewing the Egyptian proposal, which currently lacks a clear timeline for implementation. Nonetheless, Israel is standing firm on the condition that Hamas must surrender all of its weapons, a demand that remains a major sticking point, with Hamas essentially the only party still opposing it.
Meanwhile, sources told Al Jazeera that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US envoy to the Middle East, Steven Weitekamp. The talks are expected to focus on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as well as issues related to Syria and Iran.
