Overview

• Negotiations began Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, with Egyptian, U.S., and Qatari mediation and delegations from Israel and Hamas engaging indirectly.
• The first phase centers on a hostage-for-prisoner exchange, with roughly 48 Israeli hostages remaining—about 20 believed alive—in talks tied to releasing about 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including hundreds serving life terms.
• The White House sent Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Egypt as President Trump urges a rapid timeline and calls this week for completing the initial phase.
• U.S. officials pressed Israel to pause bombardment to enable safe transfers, while Israeli strikes continued at a reduced intensity according to local reports, and the IDF signaled it would resume major operations if talks collapse.
• Major gaps persist over Hamas disarmament, its future political role in Gaza, and the scale and timing of Israeli troop withdrawals, with the Trump plan proposing a technocratic administration and an international stabilization force.