Israel’s Troop Presence in Gaza Delays Cease-Fire Talks, Palestinian Sources Say

Indirect cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar are being stalled by Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military presence in the Gaza Strip, according to two Palestinian sources familiar with the discussions.

The talks, which began last Sunday, aim to establish a temporary halt to the 21-month conflict triggered by Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Both sides have expressed willingness to release 10 living hostages still held by Hamas in exchange for a 60-day cease-fire agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope on Thursday that a deal could be reached “in a few days,” potentially paving the way for talks toward a longer-term resolution.

However, one Palestinian source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, said progress was being hindered by Israel’s refusal to fully withdraw its troops from Gaza, a key demand from Hamas. Another source noted that mediators requested a pause in talks pending the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha.

“The negotiations face serious setbacks because Israel insists on a so-called withdrawal map that is actually a redeployment plan, keeping military forces in over 40 percent of Gaza,” the first source said. This arrangement would confine hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to a small area near Rafah, on the border with Egypt.

Hamas’s delegation has rejected the proposed maps, arguing they effectively legitimize Israel’s continued occupation of nearly half the Gaza Strip and divide the territory into isolated zones without crossings or freedom of movement.

The second Palestinian source accused the Israeli delegation of lacking authority and deliberately obstructing progress to prolong the conflict.

The Gaza war erupted after Hamas’s October 7 attack, which killed at least 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians. Of the 251 hostages taken, 49 remain captive, with Israeli forces confirming 27 deaths among them.

Since the war’s onset, Israeli strikes have killed at least 57,823 Palestinians, primarily civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The territory’s civil defense reported 14 Palestinians killed in recent Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, following more than 30 deaths the previous day, including 10 civilians waiting for aid.

The Israeli military said it targeted approximately 250 “terrorist targets” in Gaza over the past 48 hours, including weapons storage sites, sniper posts, tunnels, and other infrastructure.

Previous cease-fires—one lasting a week in late November 2023 and another for two months starting mid-January, which Israel ended—resulted in the release of 105 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Despite the current stalemate, the second Palestinian source acknowledged “some progress” on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Netanyahu, facing mounting domestic and international pressure to end the conflict, reiterated this week that neutralizing Hamas as a security threat is essential before any long-term cease-fire. He emphasized that Hamas must disarm, warning that failure to do so would compel Israel to act by force.