Overview
- Negotiators reconvened Tuesday for a second day of indirect Israel–Hamas talks in Egypt after a roughly four‑hour opening session that participants described as positive.
- The first phase is centered on lists and mechanisms for releasing Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, with arrangements to allow full, unconditional humanitarian access via U.N. channels.
- Israeli officials signal any initial redeployment would stop at the so‑called yellow line, with further pullback contingent on subsequent steps under the U.S. plan.
- Hamas rejects pre‑withdrawal disarmament and seeks enforceable guarantees, while calling for a halt to strikes and aerial surveillance to reach captives and remains in the rubble.
- Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States are mediating, with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner present, as Benjamin Netanyahu says the war is nearing its end and insists Hamas cannot remain in power.