Overview

• President Donald Trump said both parties agreed to the initial stage, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his government to seek formal approval.
• Egyptian and Qatari channels indicated a first‑phase understanding, and a Palestinian source said the opening step includes the release of 20 living hostages in one batch.
• Negotiations are built on a U.S. plan pairing a cease-fire, phased Israeli pullback and a hostage‑for‑prisoner exchange with the disarmament of Hamas.
• Hamas leaders pressed for written guarantees that the war will end and did not commit to disarmament, while Israel insists on Hamas being disarmed and retaining forces in much of Gaza during a transition.
• High-level envoys, including Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, Qatar’s prime minister and Turkey’s intelligence chief, joined the talks in Sharm el‑Sheikh as delegations exchanged prisoner lists.