Hamas gives 'positive' response
- Reports say Hamas gave a 'positive response' to Cairo's proposal for phase two of the Gaza ceasefire. - Key sticking points remain aid access and disarmament, preventing a fuller deal that would extend the truce. - Coverage notes Gaza's talks are tangled with the wider U.S.-Iran track, making progress fragile and conditional ( ).
Hamas responded positively to Egypt's proposal for phase two of the Gaza ceasefire, according to reports from Cairo talks on April 22, 2026. (i24news.tv) Phase one of the ceasefire, which began January 19, 2025, exchanged 33 Israeli hostages for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and allowed limited aid into Gaza. Phase two seeks to extend the truce by releasing more hostages and increasing aid flows. (timesofisrael.com) Egypt mediated the proposal, building on Qatar and U.S. efforts, with Hamas delegates meeting Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Cairo this week. Israel has not yet commented publicly on the response. (aljazeera.com) Aid access remains a major hurdle: Hamas demands 500 trucks daily into Gaza, while Israel insists on inspections to prevent weapons smuggling. Disarmament talks stall as Hamas rejects full demilitarization without a permanent end to hostilities. (reuters.com) These Gaza negotiations link to broader U.S.-Iran discussions, where Tehran backs Hamas and Hezbollah proxies attacking Israel. A frozen U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict could halt progress if Iran withholds support for Hamas concessions. (hindustantimes.com) The war erupted October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages; Israel's response has killed over 41,000 Palestinians per Gaza health officials. Ceasefire talks collapsed multiple times since, including a failed January 2025 round. (bbc.com) Hamas official Basem Naim said the response advances "serious negotiations," but Israeli officials demand all hostages freed before phase two. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff called the talks "fragile" amid Iran tensions. (axios.com) Next steps hinge on Israeli approval and U.S. pressure on Iran; mediators aim for a deal by May 1 or risk renewed fighting. (jpost.com)
