Hamas officials leave Cairo without Gaza deal as talks continue

A senior Hamas delegation has left Cairo without reaching an agreement on a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner-captive exchange deal, following several days of high-level negotiations with Egyptian intelligence officials and Qatari mediators, sources confirmed to The New Arab's Arabic language edition.

However, the parties agreed to continue consultations on the proposals raised during the talks, the sources said.

The discussions were led by Egyptian General Intelligence Chief Major General Hassan Rashad and included coordination with Qatari officials involved in ongoing mediation efforts.

A senior Hamas official told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Hamas had firmly rejected any suggestion of disarming, insisting that the group's weapons were a legitimate right of the Palestinian people.

The official added that multiple proposals were presented in recent weeks to meet Israeli demands regarding the disarmament of armed factions and the removal of their leadership - proposals that have been collectively rejected by all Palestinian factions, not just Hamas.

A separate Egyptian source revealed that the meetings included indirect communications with American mediators.

According to the source, Hamas expressed willingness to release nine Israeli captives, but US officials requested the number be increased. They also offered assurances that if Hamas agrees to a higher number, Washington would push Israel to move toward implementing the second phase of the ceasefire deal signed on 17 January.

However, the Hamas delegation reportedly rejected the US proposal, viewing it as lacking clarity and binding commitments. The offer, the source explained, merely called for the start of talks on a potential transition to the second phase, which would include a full ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, but did not guarantee these steps would be taken.

According to the Egyptian source, the US side proposed that if Hamas agrees to release 11 or more living hostages, they could be freed in two separate phases, with each stage including mutual obligations. Only after the second phase would negotiations begin regarding a full transition to the next phase of the truce.

Talks deadlocked

Talks remain deadlocked over the core issue of ending the war. Hamas continues to insist on a firm commitment to a permanent ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to make such a pledge.

The Egyptian source indicated that discussions were ongoing to find a way out of the current impasse, possibly through the proposal of a long-term truce that could evolve into a broader political agreement.

The leaders of the two Arab countries that have led the ceasefire mediation efforts, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, met in Doha on Sunday.

The Egyptian source said Sisi had called for additional international guarantees for a truce agreement, beyond those provided by Egypt and Qatar themselves.

US President Donald Trump, who has backed Israel's decision to resume its campaign and called for the Palestinian population of Gaza to leave the territory, said last week that progress was being made in returning the captives.

Since October 2023, more than 50,900 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health authorities. The number does not include those missing or trapped under the rubble.