Indirect Hamas–Israel talks on Gaza ceasefire plan kick off in Egypt

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in Egypt on Monday, 6 October, ending the first day on a positive note amid cautious optimism for progress on US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. Multiple sources, including Al Jazeera, reported that negotiators agreed on a roadmap to guide further discussions, set to continue on Tuesday in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.

According to Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News, the first day of talks centred on the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, a potential ceasefire, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Mediators from Egypt and Qatar are said to be focusing on expanding “common ground points” between the two sides and establishing a framework for the release of all detainees in exchange for prisoners.

The Hamas delegation, led by senior officials Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, both survivors of an Israeli assassination attempt in Doha last month, reportedly told mediators that Israel’s continued bombing of Gaza posed a serious challenge to negotiations on the release of captives.

In Washington, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump was pressing for an early exchange of hostages and prisoners to create “momentum” for implementing the broader ceasefire plan.

“The technical teams are discussing that as we speak, to ensure the environment is perfect to release those hostages,” Leavitt said, adding that both Israeli and Palestinian lists were under review.

Speaking later from the Oval Office, Trump said, “We have a really good chance of making a deal,” while acknowledging that he still had his “red lines.” He added, “I think we’re doing very well. And I think Hamas has been agreeing to things that are very important.”

The talks are being held under Egyptian and Qatari mediation, with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner expected to arrive in Egypt later this week. Negotiations are scheduled to continue for three days.

According to Egyptian and Palestinian sources, the Hamas delegation arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday, followed by an Israeli team later that evening. Egyptian officials said they would meet each delegation separately before conveying progress to the US mediators.

The renewed discussions come after Hamas announced its willingness to release all Israeli hostages taken since 7 October 2023 under the US proposal. Israeli officials say Hamas still holds 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. However, Hamas has yet to respond to Israel’s insistence on disarmament as a precondition for any permanent truce

Hamas team in Egypt for talks on Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan

“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...” - President Trump pic.twitter.com/PE9ERVQwkv

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 5, 2025

Meanwhile, the United Nations reported a slight reduction in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, though shelling and gunfire continue to cause civilian casualties. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 21 people were killed and 96 injured on Sunday, with access for aid operations still severely restricted.

OCHA said that while eight humanitarian missions were facilitated, six were denied and five were cancelled due to security and logistical constraints. It added that overcrowding in southern Gaza has forced some displaced families to shelter at makeshift sites, including rubbish dumps such as Al Amal, where around 70 tents have been set up.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher announced a $9 million allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund to sustain fuel supplies essential for hospitals and other life-saving services.

On Saturday, humanitarian partners managed to distribute 885,000 meals across Gaza through 167 community kitchens, though only a dozen remain operational in the north.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the global body was ready to scale up assistance once conditions permit. “The machinery is cranked up and ready to go as soon as we get the green light,” he said, referring to the aid pipeline from Cyprus and the port of Ashdod. “There are thousands of metric tonnes of goods ready to enter Gaza as soon as the crossings open.”

As talks resume on Tuesday, mediators hope the progress achieved on day one can translate into a breakthrough, paving the way for an initial truce and the release of hostages, all steps seen as crucial to halting the months-long war in Gaza.

With agency inputs