The United States and Hamas have held their first direct negotiations since the October 2025 ceasefire, as efforts to sustain a fragile peace agreement continue to face major setbacks.
The talks, held on Tuesday night in Cairo, brought together a U.S. delegation led by senior advisor Aryeh Lightstone and Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya.
They were joined by Nickolay Mladenov, who serves as High Representative for Gaza under the Board of Peace, an international body established to oversee postwar arrangements in the territory.
The discussions focused on advancing to the second phase of the ceasefire plan, which includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the deployment of an international security mission. However, progress has stalled due to deep disagreements over timing and security arrangements.
According to reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Israel will only proceed with key phase-one obligations—including a full ceasefire and withdrawal from populated areas—if Hamas commits to complete disarmament.
Hamas has rejected that condition, with al-Hayya describing the proposal as “unbalanced” and arguing that it undermines humanitarian and political considerations. The group maintains that it will not disarm before Israel fully implements its initial commitments, including an end to airstrikes.
Sources within Hamas also claim that mediators have warned the group that rejection of the disarmament proposal could risk a return to full-scale conflict.
The October 2025 ceasefire, which ended the most intense phase of a two-year war, has faced sustained criticism from humanitarian organisations, which describe it as a ceasefire “in name only.” According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 765 Palestinians have been killed since the truce took effect six months ago.
Aid agencies such as Médecins Sans Frontières say conditions in Gaza remain dire, with overcrowding, infrastructure collapse, and disease outbreaks worsening humanitarian concerns.
The negotiations are also unfolding amid wider regional tensions linked to the broader Iran-related conflict, with continued instability in maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz raising fears of wider escalation.
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are reportedly urging flexibility from both sides, but diplomats remain skeptical that a breakthrough will be reached without significant revisions to the current proposals.
