Hamas says ‘ready’ for talks on second stage of Gaza deal, asks mediators to make sure Israel doesn’t ‘stall’

Hamas is ready to begin talks on the details of a second phase of the ongoing truce in Gaza, two officials from the Palestinian terror group tell AFP.

“Hamas has informed the mediators, during ongoing communications and meetings held with Egyptian mediators last week in Cairo, that we are ready to start the negotiations for the second phase,” one Hamas official says on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

“We call on the mediators to ensure that the occupation adheres to the agreement and does not stall,” they add.

A second official says the terror group is “waiting for the mediators to initiate the next round.”

Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel — the first phase of which came into effect on January 19 — indirect talks to hammer out the details of phase two were due to start today.

The 42-day phase one revolves around the release of 33 Israeli hostages kidnapped in Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian security prisoners, including hundreds serving life sentences.

The second phase is expected to cover the release of the remaining hostages and include discussions on a permanent end to the war.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said he will begin discussions about the second phase with US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff today.

The premier is currently in Washington and is due to meet Trump tomorrow.