The latest round of negotiations aimed at securing the second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has stalled, with no progress made so far, a senior Hamas official confirmed on Saturday. It remains unclear if or when talks will resume. The initial phase of the ceasefire, which halted 15 months of hostilities in Gaza, resulted in the release of 33 hostages — including eight bodies — in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The first phase is set to expire on Saturday, but under the agreement's terms, fighting will not resume as long as negotiations for the second phase are ongoing. This next stage is expected to focus on ending the war and securing the release of all remaining living hostages. Officials from Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have been engaged in negotiations in Cairo to push forward the second phase of the agreement. While Hamas did not attend the talks directly, its position has been represented through Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim told The Associated Press that no breakthrough had been reached before Israeli negotiators departed on Friday. He also expressed uncertainty about when the mediators would return to Cairo to continue discussions. Hamas issued a statement reaffirming its full commitment to implementing all aspects of the ceasefire agreement and urged the international community to pressure Israel into moving forward without any delay or evasion. A key sticking point appears to be an Israeli proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire by an additional 42 days, carrying it through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in exchange for a further hostage exchange. Hamas has rejected this offer, stating it contradicts the original agreement. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office indicated that talks are also focusing on enhancing the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza as part of efforts to stabilize the region. Since the war began on October 7, 2023, following Hamas' attack on Israel that left 1,200 people dead, Israel's military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. They have reported that more than half of the fatalities were women and children, though they do not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. The United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) stated that it was able to reach one million Palestinians across Gaza with food aid during the ceasefire's first phase. The agency highlighted that the pause in fighting allowed for the reopening of bakeries, the restoration of distribution points, and the expansion of cash assistance programs. "The ceasefire must hold," the WFP said in a statement. "There can be no going back." — Agencies
