Gaza peace talks appear to gain momentum on the war's anniversary
[October 08, 2025]
By SAMY MAGDY and DAVID RISING
CAIRO (AP) — Peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed at an Egyptian
resort city on Tuesday, the two-year anniversary of the militant group's
surprise attack on Israel that started the war that has killed tens of
thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The second day of indirect negotiations at the Red Sea resort of Sharm
el-Sheikh is focused on a plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump
last week that aims to bring about an end to the war.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, told Egypt’s Qahera TV that
Hamas wanted guarantees of a lasting ceasefire as part of any deal to
return the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed by Israel
to be alive.
It appeared to be his first public appearance since an Israeli strike
targeting him and other top Hamas leaders in Qatar last month killed six
people, including his son and office manager.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted Trump's plan,
which calls for the immediate release of the hostages. The plan also
calls for Gaza to be placed under international governance and for Hamas
to be disarmed, elements the militants have yet to accept.
Netanyahu’s office said Tuesday that Israel was “cautiously optimistic,”
framing the talks as technical negotiations over a plan that both sides
already had approved.
The plan has received widespread international backing, and Trump told
reporters Monday that he thought there was a “really good chance” of a
lasting deal.
In a sign the talks were gaining momentum, Qatar said its prime minister
and top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, would travel
to Egypt on Wednesday to join the negotiations. Trump's Mideast envoy
Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as well as
top Netanyahu adviser Ron Dermer, are also expected to join the talks
then.
Trump's peace plan
The plan envisions Israel withdrawing its troops from Gaza after Hamas
disarms, and an international security force being put in place. The
territory would be placed under international governance, with Trump and
former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Hamas reiterated its longstanding demands
for a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza but said
nothing about disarmament.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into
southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and
abducted 251. Most have since been released in ceasefires or other
deals.
The ensuing war has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians and nearly
170,000 wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and left the
territory in ruins.
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People attend a memorial marking two years anniversary of the deadly
Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, at the site of the Nova music
festival where hundreds of revelers were killed and abducted in the
assault, near Kibbutz Reim in southern Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 7,
2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and
combatants, but says around half of the deaths were women and
children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the
United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to
be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
A growing number of experts, including those commissioned by a U.N.
body, have said Israel’s offensive in Gaza amounts to genocide — an
accusation Israel vehemently denies.
On Tuesday, thousands of Israelis gathered at an area attacked by
Hamas two years ago to pay tribute to loved ones who were killed and
kidnapped. An explosion echoed across the fields following the
launch of a rocket in northern Gaza. No damage or injuries were
reported.
In Gaza City, residents said Israeli attacks continued until early
Tuesday. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
A promise of humanitarian relief
Ahead of the resumption of talks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres said the hostilities have created "a humanitarian
catastrophe on a scale that defied comprehension.”
Trump's proposal "presents an opportunity that must be seized to
bring this tragic conflict to an end,” Guterres said in a statement.
Egypt and Qatar, which have been mediating between the sides for
most of the war, are facilitating the latest talks. Majed al-Ansari,
a spokesman for Qatar's Foreign Ministry, said Monday's talks went
on for around four hours.
Witkoff and Kushner are expected to join the talks on Wednesday,
according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to brief
reporters because the trip has not yet been formally announced.
Dermer, Netanyahu's top adviser, was also heading to Egypt on
Wednesday, according to an Israeli official speaking on condition of
anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Part of the plan is to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza, where more
than 2 million Palestinians are facing hunger and, in some areas,
famine.
_____
Rising reported from Bangkok. Melanie Lidman in Reim, Israel; Sam
Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Matthew Lee in
Washington contributed to this report.
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