A Hamas delegation is heading to the Cairo to push for the second phase of the deal [Getty]
Israeli forces maintained their attacks and blockade on Gaza on Sunday, killing a 62-year-old Palestinian man despite the ceasefire, as diplomatic efforts to move forward with peace talks faced new setbacks.
Hamas is set to visit Cairo this week to push for the second phase of the truce deal, but the talks remain uncertain following heightened regional tensions.
Tensions escalated after US airstrikes in Yemen complicated already tense ceasefire negotiations, with Egyptian sources telling Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic-language edition, that the attacks had derailed progress in the Gaza talks.
The sources said Washington’s decision to target the Houthis in Yemen was intended to pressure Palestinian negotiators into accepting the latest US offer.
Last week, Hamas announced it had approved a mediator’s proposal to release an Israeli-American soldier and the bodies of four dual nationals in a bid to resume negotiations on the next phase of the truce.
Egyptian sources claimed the US initially agreed to this arrangement but later shifted its stance, reportedly under Israeli pressure. According to the sources, Israel pushed President Donald Trump to demand Hamas release more captives before the talks could advance.
Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha accused Israel of deliberately stalling the negotiations, saying his group’s recent proposals were “from the core of the basic agreement and have not deviated from it”.
“They represent the primary gateway to implementing the second phase,” he added.
Taha condemned Washington’s role in the delay, calling it “absolutely unacceptable” that the US was siding with Israel and must now “be clear regarding the occupation’s failure to commit to implementing the second phase”.
The Trump administration rejected Hamas’s demands, calling them “entirely impractical”, while US envoy Steve Witkoff said Hamas was “making a very bad bet that time is on its side. It is not”.
In a separate interview on Sunday, Witkoff said the US was “exploring” alternatives for relocating Palestinians, following Trump’s earlier remarks about “taking over” Gaza.
“I mean, I think we’re exploring… all alternatives and options that lead to a better life for Gazans, and, by the way, for the people of Israel,” Witkoff said.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued its military assault with international organisations condemning the attacks.
Israeli media reported that reservists were filmed opening fire toward Gaza, while on Sunday, Israel received three American F-35i fighter jets, further fuelling accusations that Israel is stalling a full ceasefire.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed the delivery, saying: “Three new F-35i aircraft manufactured by the American company Lockheed Martin landed last Thursday at the Nevatim Air Base in the Negev region in southern Israel… since the outbreak of the war, the F-35i system has flown more than 15,000 operational flight hours.”
Meanwhile, Gaza’s blockade has deepened the humanitarian crisis, forcing desperately needed community kitchens and bakeries to shut down.
The UN children’s agency UNICEF called the situation “urgent” and urged Israel to restore access to water and electricity to prevent further loss of life.
Gaza’s government media office reports that over 61,700 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since October 2023, with thousands more believed to be trapped under the rubble.
