Overview

• Hamas told Al Jazeera it seeks a phased exchange linked to a phased Israeli pullout, with the final release coinciding with completion of the withdrawal.
• A Hamas spokesman denied a Sky News Arabia report claiming the group demanded an Israeli exit before any exchanges, calling the account misleading.
• The second day of the consultations focused on mapping troop withdrawal routes and setting a timetable for releasing hostages, according to accounts from the talks.
• Talks in Sharm el-Sheikh remain indirect and mediated by Egypt and Qatar, with U.S. participation including envoy Steven Whitkoff and Jared Kushner.
• The negotiations unfold against a U.S. 20-point plan proposing temporary external administration and international stabilization forces in Gaza, which Israel has said it accepts.