Gaza Peace Talks: Key Issues Hindering Progress

Fri Oct 10 2025 20:41:02 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Negotiators from Israel and Hamas gather in Sharm El-Sheikh to discuss a potential end to the Israel-Gaza war, but major sticking points remain, including hostage release protocols and disarmament.

As negotiators from Israel and Hamas convene in Egypt for peace talks, significant challenges arise. Key issues include the terms of hostage release, disarmament of Hamas, future governance of Gaza, and the extent of Israel's military withdrawal. While both sides are exploring agreement through a framework peace plan proposed by Donald Trump, trust remains low amid ongoing tensions and past hostilities.

Negotiators from Israel and Hamas are heading to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, to start indirect talks over an end to the Israel-Gaza war. It is the closest both sides have come to a deal since the war began two years ago.

But Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan - which Israel has agreed to and Hamas has partly agreed to - is really just a framework, only a few pages long. And there are still major sticking points for both sides to resolve.

Hostage Release Structure

Trump's plan states that within 72 hours of a deal being agreed all remaining hostages would be released. It is thought 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Trump said over the weekend the hostages could be released very soon, while Netanyahu stated they could be freed before the Jewish holiday Sukkot - or October 13th.

Hamas has agreed to the hostage exchange formula outlined in Trump's plan, provided certain field conditions are met. However, the hostages are the group's only bargaining chip, and it remains unclear if Hamas would release them before other elements of the deal are finalized.

Trust between both sides is virtually non-existent. Only last month, Israel attempted to assassinate Hamas's negotiating team with an air strike on Doha, angering not only Hamas but also Donald Trump and Qatar, a key mediator.

Hamas Disarmament

Israel's stated goal throughout the war has been the destruction of Hamas. Netanyahu has vowed not to stop until the group is finished. A key point in Trump's plan requires the group to disarm, but Hamas has previously refused to lay down its weapons, stating this would only occur once a Palestinian state has been established.

In its response to the plan, Hamas made no mention of disarmament, suggesting it has not changed its position. Netanyahu's recent statements imply that disarmament will happen either the easy way or by force.

Future Governance of Gaza

Trump's plan indicates that Hamas will have no future role in Gaza, which will be governed by a temporary transitional body of Palestinian technocrats - supervised by a Board of Peace led by Donald Trump and involving former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Governance would eventually transition to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Although Netanyahu agreed to Trump's plan, he seemed to push back against PA involvement, insisting during the agreement announcement that the PA would play no role in governing the territory. This is contentious among ultranationalist hardliners within his coalition, many of whom seek to control Gaza and reconstruct Jewish settlements there.

Hamas, however, indicated it expects to have some role in the future governance of Gaza as part of a unified Palestinian movement, a term that may be unacceptable to both Trump and Israeli negotiators.

Israeli Withdrawal

The extent of Israel's military withdrawal from Gaza constitutes a fourth significant area of contention. Trump's plan dictates that the withdrawal will occur based on agreed standards, milestones, and timelines.

A map distributed by the White House suggests a phased Israeli withdrawal, initially leaving around 55% of Gaza under Israeli control, followed by stages down to a final 15%. However, ambiguities in the timetable for full withdrawal could create tensions, particularly as the map provided does not align with the Israeli military's own maps regarding militarized areas.