The first round of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas concluded without any substantive results this week, focusing instead on outlining a roadmap to implement US President Donald Trump’s plan, which addresses four key issues: prisoner exchanges, the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, humanitarian aid delivery, and ending the war, according to Egyptian and Israeli media sources.
The issue of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza has emerged as a central and sensitive point in the talks. Both sides have signalled that any agreement on the ceasefire hinges on the withdrawal. But Israel has insisted it will not fully pull out until its war objectives, including the return of Israeli hostages and the end of Hamas rule, are met.
Hamas says it will not advance the negotiations or implement the plan unless a complete Israeli withdrawal is guaranteed, linking the prisoner exchange directly to the withdrawal issue.
Against this backdrop, the White House has released statements from Trump highlighting a “positive atmosphere” and noting that Hamas had taken “important steps” towards progress. US officials also published a detailed map outlining four phased withdrawal lines from the current situation to the creation of a final security buffer zone.
The 20-point plan aims to demilitarise Gaza and eliminate extremist threats.
The map identifies four stages of gradual withdrawal. The blue line indicates the current Israeli military control extending from the north to the south of Gaza. The yellow line marks the “first withdrawal” tied to the release of Israeli prisoners. The red line designates the “second withdrawal”, which coincides with the temporary deployment of an international stabilisation force.
The third planned line defines the boundaries of the final security buffer zone, with a surrounding security presence until Gaza is deemed free of threats, according to the plan.
The Hamas and Israeli delegations arrived in Egypt on Monday to begin the talks, aiming to demonstrate their seriousness to the US administration in order to advance Trump’s plan to halt the hostilities.
Political analyst Raafat Al-Jawabreh told Al-Ahram Weekly that the first phase of the negotiations is focused on two main issues: withdrawal and prisoner exchange. He described the situation as a “sticking point”, with Israel insisting on the release of all the Israeli prisoners, while Hamas demands the withdrawal plan and international guarantees before agreeing to a swap.
“This sets the stage for difficult and prolonged negotiations, not the quick resolution some anticipate,” Al-Jawabreh said.
He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions and statements indicate that he does not want Trump’s plan to succeed. Netanyahu has publicly stated his desire for the negotiations to fail, while continued Israeli air strikes and offensive operations suggest deliberate efforts to undermine the process.
Regarding the first phase of the talks, Al-Jawabreh noted that despite cautious optimism among the Israeli prisoners’ families and political analysts, the negotiations are unlikely to be easy. He emphasised that the prisoner exchange stipulated in Trump’s plan is expected to occur within 72 hours, a timeframe he described as unrealistic given Israel’s current positions and its insistence that troops remain inside Gaza.
He stressed that the plan will not be implemented quickly because Israel’s continued presence prevents the full release of prisoners without first agreeing on the detailed withdrawal steps linked to the swap.
He also highlighted Israeli objections to specific prisoners, particularly leaders such as Marwan Barghouti, Abdullah Barghouti, and Ibrahim Hamed, noting that Netanyahu and far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have vowed not to release them.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 9 October, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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