By Naija247news International Desk
CAIRO / WASHINGTON, Oct 8, 2025 — Hopes for a potential end to the devastating two-year Gaza war have intensified after Hamas officials demanded concrete guarantees that Israel will completely withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, currently under negotiation in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh.
The talks, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, entered their second day on Tuesday, drawing senior U.S. and Qatari officials, including Jared Kushner and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Trump, marking the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, said there was a “real chance of a Gaza deal,” though many provisions remain vague.
Hamas Demands Full Withdrawal, End to War
Senior Hamas negotiator Fawzi Barhoum told reporters the group’s delegation sought “complete withdrawal of the occupation army” and a permanent end to the war, citing Israel’s repeated violations of previous ceasefires.
Hamas sources told Al Jazeera that any release of Israeli hostages would be tied to the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces. “The final hostage release must coincide with the final troop pullout,” one official said.
Despite the Trump administration’s optimism, the proposal reportedly lacks a clear timeline for withdrawal and conditions the process on the return of 48 Israeli captives, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ and the Future of Gaza
Under Trump’s plan, Gaza’s governance would shift to a “Board of Peace” — an international oversight body chaired by Trump himself and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, with Palestinian technocrats handling day-to-day administration.
Both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have ruled out any political role for Hamas in Gaza’s future government. However, Hamas said it would support Palestinian-led reconstruction under a national body, without seeking formal political office.
Israel Maintains Offensive as Talks Progress
Even as negotiations continued, Israeli airstrikes persisted across Gaza, targeting Sabra, Tal al-Hawa, and Khan Younis, killing at least 10 Palestinians on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Since the start of the war, more than 66,600 Palestinians have been killed, while the Gaza Health Ministry reports the deaths of 1,701 medical personnel. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) says Gaza alone accounts for 14% of global conflict deaths in the past two years.
Netanyahu: ‘War for Our Existence’
In Jerusalem, Netanyahu described the war as a “battle for Israel’s very existence,” pledging to continue military operations until Hamas’s governance is eliminated and all hostages are returned.
“We are in fateful days of decision,” Netanyahu said in a national address, making no direct reference to the peace talks.
Mediators Stay Flexible
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said mediators were taking a “flexible, adaptive” approach to negotiations.
“We don’t go with preconceived notions,” he said. “We develop these formulations during the talks themselves.”
Al-Ansari added that Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators were “determined to reach an agreement that ends the war and starts reconstruction.”
The Road Ahead
Even if an agreement is reached, major questions remain: Who will govern Gaza? Who will fund its reconstruction? And can any international framework ensure lasting peace?
For many Palestinians, the bombs falling over Gaza on the second anniversary of the war are a reminder that diplomacy often lags behind destruction. As Al Jazeera correspondent Hind Khoudary reported from central Gaza, “Everyone’s waiting for a peace deal — as the bombs continue to fall.”
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Reporting by Naija247news in Lagos, Nigeria.
