Gaza Truce Talks Stall Amid Hostage Deadlock, Netanyahu and Trump Push for Progress
Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have hit a standstill in Qatar, with disagreements over aid access and military withdrawals blocking a breakthrough. The impasse follows a second unplanned meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday, where the two leaders discussed hostage release efforts and the ongoing war.
A senior Palestinian official familiar with the indirect negotiations told the media that talks remain frozen due to Israel’s refusal to ease restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza and to withdraw troops from occupied zones.
“The Israeli side insists on maintaining a humiliating mechanism for aid delivery,” the official said, referring to the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The foundation reportedly operates outside the UN system, using private security to distribute aid. The source added that Israel continues to reject calls to pull forces from areas it re-entered on March 18 after the collapse of the previous ceasefire.
Israel maintains that military pressure remains essential. “We are not relenting for a moment,” Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday. “Our objectives remain the same bring home all our hostages, living and dead, and dismantle Hamas’s military and governing structure.”
Israeli authorities believe 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with up to 20 still alive. The proposed deal would involve the phased return of 28 hostages 10 alive and 18 deceased over a 60-day ceasefire. In exchange, Israel would release a significant number of Palestinian detainees and permit an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries.
Under the current draft proposal, Israeli forces would begin withdrawing from parts of northern Gaza after day one of the truce, and from the south after day seven. On day 10, Hamas would be required to identify which hostages are still alive, while Israel would disclose details about thousands of Palestinians detained since the war began.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters the sides had reduced their list of unresolved issues from four to one. “We’re close. We hope to finalize the agreement by the end of the week,” he said.
Despite the optimism from Washington, Qatari officials cautioned against setting firm expectations. “We will need more time,” said Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry.
The negotiations come against the backdrop of renewed violence in Gaza. At least 20 Palestinians were killed overnight in Israeli airstrikes targeting a tent in Khan Younis and a home in the al-Shati refugee camp, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defense agency. The Israeli military has not commented on the strikes.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters stormed communities in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel launched a large-scale military campaign in response.
Since then, more than 57,575 people in Gaza have been killed, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. Most of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have been displaced multiple times. Aid organizations report that over 90% of homes have been damaged or destroyed. The health system is in collapse, and severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicine continue.
The latest talks in Doha mark the fourth round of negotiations since Sunday. While the Trump administration has expressed confidence in reaching a deal, no agreement has yet been finalized.
As the war enters its 21st month, efforts to reach a truce remain uncertain, with each side blaming the other for delays and conditions on the ground continuing to worsen.
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