Hamas leaders held talks with Egyptian security officials in Cairo on Sunday over a ceasefire deal with Israel.
This marked the first high-level engagement since the U.S. announced a renewed diplomatic push involving Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey to negotiate a ceasefire and secure a hostage release deal.
During a CNN interview, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan revealed the U.S. Initiative and expressed cautious optimism. “I think we may have a chance to make progress, but I’m not going to predict exactly when it will happen,” Sullivan said. He noted that Hamas is increasingly isolated, with Hezbollah refraining from full engagement and Iran distracted by other conflicts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened security talks in Jerusalem as part of ongoing efforts to address the crisis. Speaking at an Israel Hayom conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar hinted at potential negotiation advancements. “There is some indication of progress toward a hostage deal, but our conditions for ending the war have not changed,” he said. “From our perspective, there is a desire to advance in this direction, but we will know more in the coming days.”
The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has claimed over 44,400 Palestinian lives in Gaza and displaced nearly its entire population, according to local officials.
The war started with Hamas-led militants attacking southern Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and abducting more than 250 hostages, Israeli authorities reported.
Humanitarian aid has been severely hampered, with the UN’s Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) halting deliveries through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini cited the seizure of supplies by armed gangs inside Gaza as a major obstacle. “This difficult decision comes at a time hunger is rapidly deepening,” Lazzarini wrote on X, formerly Twitter, adding that Israeli restrictions made the operation “unnecessarily impossible.”
The Israeli military, however, denied obstructing aid. “There is no limit on supplies for civilians,” said COGAT, the department responsible for aid coordination, accusing the UN of inefficiency.
Meanwhile, fighting continues to escalate. On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 20 people across Gaza, including two children in Khan Younis and six individuals in Nuseirat refugee camp.
In the war’s northern front, Israeli forces have reportedly targeted clusters of homes in Jabalia and Beit Hanoun, sparking accusations of forced evacuations—a charge the Israeli military denies.
