Israel To Begin Next Phase Of Gaza Ceasefire Talks This Week, Minister Confirms

Israel will commence indirect negotiations with Hamas this week regarding the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Tuesday. As part of its demands, Israel is calling for the complete demilitarisation of Gaza.

Mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the second-phase talks were initially set to begin on February 2 but had not officially started, according to Qatari officials. However, speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Saar confirmed that negotiations would move forward this week.

The ongoing ceasefire agreement, which took effect on January 19, is structured in three phases and aims to bring an end to the Gaza war. The first phase includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Despite accusations of violations that threatened to derail the process, the agreement has remained intact.

However, negotiations over the second phase are expected to be more challenging, particularly on the issue of Gaza’s post-war administration. Israel has insisted that Hamas must not retain control of the enclave.

“We will not accept the continued presence of Hamas or any other terrorist organisation in Gaza,” Saar stated.

But he added that if the negotiations are constructive, Israel will remain engaged and may prolong the first phase of the ceasefire, which is meant to last six weeks.

So far, 19 Israeli hostages have been released as part of the first phase. Another 14 hostages, including six believed to be alive, are expected to be freed soon, with four bodies of deceased hostages scheduled for handover on Thursday.

The hostages were captured during Hamas’ October 7 cross-border attack on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has since killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities, and has displaced hundreds of thousands.

To address urgent humanitarian concerns, an Israeli official stated that Israel would begin allowing mobile homes into Gaza to shelter those affected by the destruction. Hamas has previously accused Israel of delaying these provisions and had threatened to postpone hostage releases until the issue was resolved.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, US President Donald Trump has suggested relocating Palestinians from Gaza and turning the territory into a US controlled waterfront development. The proposal has been widely condemned by Palestinian groups, Arab states, and Western allies, who argue it amounts to ethnic cleansing.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced plans to establish a new unit within his ministry to facilitate the voluntary relocation of Gaza residents to third countries. The move has sparked further controversy over the future of the war-torn enclave.

As negotiations progress, both sides remain deeply divided on key issues, raising uncertainty over whether the ceasefire can transition into a lasting peace agreement.

Melissa Enoch

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