Senior negotiators from the United States, Qatar, and Turkey have joined renewed efforts to end the war in Gaza, as mediators intensify pressure on Israel and Hamas to resolve differences over former President Donald Trump’s ceasefire and hostage release plan, according to the Financial Times.
Qatar, one of the key intermediaries, described the discussions as having reached a “critical stage.” The Gulf nation’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, is set to personally attend the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Wednesday. The Financial Times reported that the United States will be represented by envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and one of the principal architects of the peace proposal. Egyptian officials confirmed that Israel has sent Ron Dermer, a close adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Turkey will be represented by its intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin.
Despite both Israel and Hamas publicly supporting the broad framework of Trump’s 20-point plan, negotiators have struggled to bridge differences on key details. According to diplomats cited by the Financial Times, Hamas remains opposed to provisions requiring its disarmament, the sequencing of Israel’s military withdrawal from Gaza, and the role of an international stabilization force that would be deployed to oversee security in the enclave.
A diplomat briefed on the negotiations said progress had been made toward “ironing out remaining details and establishing a mechanism of implementation for all parties to agree on.” However, tensions have emerged among Arab states over Netanyahu’s reported revisions to Trump’s original plan, particularly regarding the timeline of troop redeployments and the diminished mention of the Palestinian Authority. Several Arab governments insist that the western-backed Palestinian Authority must play a greater role in Gaza’s transitional administration, arguing that its participation is essential to the legitimacy and stability of the postwar framework.
“The Arab countries’ point is that the way the deal was edited by Netanyahu, Hamas will never accept it,” the diplomat told the Financial Times. “We are back to discussing details to bring it slightly back to something more realistically acceptable for both sides.”
Hamas has signaled a willingness to release the remaining 48 hostages — about 20 of whom are believed to be alive — and to relinquish control of Gaza, which it has governed since 2007. Under the U.S. proposal, Gaza would be administered by a committee of Palestinian technocrats, overseen by an international supervisory body led by Trump. Yet Hamas negotiators have expressed skepticism, citing Israel’s past violations of ceasefire agreements. Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s top negotiator, told Egypt’s Al-Qahera television that Hamas “needs real guarantees from the international community,” referencing Israel’s decision to resume fighting after a previous U.S.-brokered deal in March.
Western diplomats told the Financial Times that Hamas remains “not entirely convinced that this deal is the best thing,” and would require concrete assurances from Arab states and Washington to move forward. Israel, meanwhile, is focusing on the first phase of Trump’s plan — the exchange of hostages for prisoners — rather than the long-term political arrangements for Gaza.
According to people familiar with Israel’s position, the proposed first stage would see Hamas release all hostages in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained after the October 7, 2023, attack. However, the inclusion of prominent prisoners such as Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure viewed by many Palestinians as a unifying leader, could trigger sharp divisions within Netanyahu’s far-right coalition.
Hamas has reportedly submitted a list of prisoners it wants freed, though it has not publicly disclosed the names. As the Financial Times reported, the coming days of negotiation will determine whether mediators can bridge the final gaps and turn Trump’s plan from a proposal into a workable framework for ending one of the most protracted and destructive conflicts in the region.
