A group of Israeli officials arrived in Cairo on Thursday for urgent talks about the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The delegation’s goal is to extend the first phase of the ceasefire by another 42 days, two Egyptian security sources revealed on Friday, a day before the initial phase is set to expire.
Hamas opposes the extension, insisting that the deal move forward into its second phase as originally agreed. According to the sources, the second phase would involve actions toward a permanent resolution of the conflict, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
An Israeli diplomatic source mentioned that the delegation was expected to return from Cairo on Friday night, though negotiations would continue over Shabbat.
The first phase of the ceasefire is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, with no clear resolution yet in place if the negotiations fail to reach an agreement by then. Egypt and Qatar are playing roles as mediators in the discussions, with support from the United States.
Two Israeli government officials informed Reuters that Israel is pushing for an extension of the current phase. Under the existing terms, Hamas releases three hostages each week in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
Meanwhile, a senior Western diplomat told The Times of Israel that Israel is preparing for the possibility of resuming hostilities with Hamas, believing that the ceasefire will not last more than a few more weeks.
While the tactics of the IDF would likely shift in the event of renewed conflict, with Israeli officials pledging a more aggressive approach, the diplomat noted that there does not appear to be a fundamental strategic change in how Israel plans to deal with the issue of replacing Hamas.
The government remains focused on dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, holding the view that any alternative to Hamas cannot be established in Gaza until the terror group is defeated, the diplomat explained. However, the diplomat criticized this strategy, arguing that efforts to create a post-Hamas alternative should proceed in tandem with military action.
“If not, what you will have is indefinite Israeli occupation and Hamas insurgency,” the diplomat asserted.
In a statement issued on Friday, Hamas called on the international community to pressure Israel to move directly into the second phase of the agreement.
Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the entire ceasefire agreement and all its stages, stating that “with the end of the first phase of the ceasefire,” the group “affirms its full commitment to implementing all the provisions of the agreement in all its stages and details.”
“We call on the international community to pressure the Zionist occupation to… immediately enter the second phase of the agreement without any delay,” it added.
Sources within Hamas, speaking to Haaretz, argued that extending the first phase by continuing to release hostages would mean sacrificing their primary leverage in the negotiations.
“If there isn’t a clear deadline for the end of the war and a full [IDF] withdrawal, the release of all the hostages can’t be expected,” an unnamed Hamas source told Haaretz.
The sources suggested a possible compromise, where sick or deceased captives could be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences, accompanied by improvements in the conditions of the prisoners and increased aid to Gaza.
Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s office confirmed the new round of talks on Thursday but did not elaborate on the specifics of the discussions, with other Israeli officials indicating that Israel is not prepared to proceed to the second phase.
Israeli leaders have consistently rejected the idea of fully withdrawing from Gaza as long as Hamas remains in power, warning that fighting may resume if necessary.
This decision to send the delegation followed two meetings held by Netanyahu with senior security officials, including Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, and Shas leader Aryeh Deri, as reported by Channel 12.
US President Donald Trump commented on Thursday that “nobody really knows” whether the second phase of the agreement will come to fruition.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said. “We have some pretty good talks going on.”
Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages on Thursday morning, the final ones to be released under the terms of the first phase of the truce. In return, Israel released over 600 security prisoners, more than 100 of whom were serving life sentences or had been convicted of murder.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, which cited military sources, three hostages—Ohad Yahalomi, Tsahi Idan, and Itzik Elgarat—were killed while in captivity. The fourth, Shlomo Mantzur, was killed during the October 7 Hamas-led attack, and his body had been taken to Gaza.
The agreement between Israel and Hamas includes a second phase where the remaining living hostages—around 24 people—are expected to be released. There is also a third phase planned, during which the bodies of those killed on October 7 or in captivity will be returned, with the ultimate goal being the end of the war.
An Israeli official issued a statement on Thursday rejecting any withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces from the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, despite the agreement’s stipulation for Israeli troops to depart by the 50th day of the ceasefire.
Israel argues that the border area is a key smuggling route for Hamas, and without Israeli oversight, it would be used to bring in weapons and fortifications, potentially rebuilding Hamas’s military infrastructure. Both Hamas and Egypt oppose an ongoing Israeli presence there.
“We will not leave the Philadelphi Corridor. We will not allow the Hamas murderers to again roam our borders with pickup trucks and guns, and we will not allow them to rearm through smuggling,” the Israeli official declared.
With US backing, Israel has repeatedly stated that it will not allow Hamas to play any role in Gaza’s future governance, and is prepared to resume military action to prevent such an outcome. Netanyahu has also ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza’s future.
{Matzav.com}