Hamas delegates, led by exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya, reached Egypt on October 5, 2025, for indirect negotiations with Israel. The discussions, mediated by the US and Qatar in Sharm el-Sheikh, focus on implementing President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza peace. Israeli negotiators, headed by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, joined on October 6.
The plan seeks to end the nearly two-year war, release 48 remaining hostages (20 believed alive), and outline Gaza’s future. Trump urged swift action, posting on Truth Social: “MOVE FAST—the first phase should be completed this week.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed urgency on NBC’s Meet the Press: “We’ll know quickly if Hamas is serious.” He told ABC’s This Week that talks “cannot take weeks.” An official briefed on the process noted a shift from phased deals, aiming for a comprehensive agreement up front to avoid past breakdowns.
.@SecRubio: For the first time in this entire endeavor, you have the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, all these European countries lined up behind a plan putting tremendous pressure to make it happen. @POTUS is the one putting that together.” pic.twitter.com/QbbFeda4El
— Department of State (@StateDept) October 5, 2025Trump’s proposal calls for hostage release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, Israeli withdrawal to an initial line, and Hamas disarmament. It envisions a technocratic Palestinian body governing Gaza, supported by Arab and Islamic states. Israel agreed to the withdrawal line, pending Hamas confirmation.
Hamas accepted key elements on October 4, including hostage release and aid surges, but deferred contentious issues like disarmament. Trump hailed it as readiness for “lasting PEACE,” urging Israel to halt bombings. However, Netanyahu clarified Israel would retain control over key areas, and strikes persist.
Despite optimism, Israeli strikes killed at least 19 Palestinians on October 5, per Gaza health authorities. Four died seeking aid in the south, and five in a Gaza City airstrike. The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages, has claimed over 67,000 Palestinian lives, mostly civilians.
JUST IN – President Trump on his plan for peace in Gaza: "It's a great deal for Israel and it's a great deal for everybody… It's a great deal for the entire Arab world, Muslim world, and world." pic.twitter.com/omC3ATrZ5r
— The Crypto Bull (@TheCryptoBull11) October 6, 2025Displaced resident Ahmed Assad expressed frustration: “We see no change—shall we stay in the streets or leave?” Netanyahu aims to announce the return of hostages during Sukkot (October 6-13)
The plan boosts optimism in Israel. The shekel hit a three-year high, and Tel Aviv stocks reached an all-time peak. Resident Gil Shelly told Reuters, “Trump instilled hope for the first time in months.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid pledged support, vowing not to “torpedo the deal.”
Read: Global Protests Erupt Over Israel’s Interception of Gaza Aid Flotilla
Yet, Netanyahu balances hostage families’ pleas with hardliners like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who threaten coalition collapse if attacks stop. Smotrich called a halt a “grave mistake.
