The thorny edges of the Gaza peace talks: How are the talks progressing in Egypt?

BarcelonaSecond day of peace negotiations in Gaza. After Monday's meeting ended optimistically, the Israeli and Hamas delegations will meet again this Tuesday in the Egyptian city of Sharm al-Sheikh for indirect talks. on the plan proposed by Donald TrumpThe goal of the US-sponsored meeting is to hammer out the details of the first phase of the plan, which is expected to see a ceasefire and the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Trump's plan has enjoyed broad international support, but it leaves many uncertainties that raise fears that the Palestinians will be left without guarantees. Will Israel withdraw from Gaza? Will Hamas be disarmed? Who will lead the reconstruction of the Strip? Here's what we know so far:

Who are the negotiators?

The US negotiating team is led by Steve Witkoff, the White House special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and real estate developer. On the Hamas side, the representatives are Jalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, who survived an Israeli bombing in Doha a month ago that left five dead, including the son of the lead Palestinian negotiator.

The Israeli delegation is more ambiguous: first, the government announced that the main negotiator would be Ron Dermer, Minister of Strategic Affairs; later, it said that Ophir Falk, foreign policy advisor, was in Egypt to sit at the table. Finally, Netanyahu has only sent a technical delegation with no decision-making power, which casts doubt on his real willingness to negotiate.

The key points of the plan

1. End of hostilities and exchange of prisoners

Once the agreement is signed, the fighting would cease immediately. Hamas would release the 48 remaining hostages—both alive and dead—within 72 hours, while Israel would release 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,700 detainees, including women and children. It would also return the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each dead hostage released.

2. Disarm Hamas and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza

In a second phase, Hamas would surrender its weapons. Those members who agreed would receive amnesty and be able to leave Gaza safely. After disarmament, Israel would withdraw its troops, and an international force would be deployed to ensure security. Organizations such as the UN and the Red Crescent would distribute humanitarian aid.

3. The future administration of the Strip

Gaza would be under international governance, supervised by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. An interim administration of Palestinian technocrats would manage the day-to-day operations without Hamas involvement. The plan calls for an economic program that would transform Gaza into a special economic zone with preferential tariffs and incentives to attract investment. In return, Palestinians would not be expelled.

Flashpoints

1. The calendar

For Netanyahu, prolonging the process could be politically useful to contain pressure from the most extreme wing of his government. But the main accelerator of this pact has been the president of the United States. "Trump is fed up, and has a different assessment of the benefits of ending the genocide. He is pressuring Netanyahu to achieve results," says analyst Fathi Nimer of the think tank Palestinian Al Shabaab.

But Hamas doesn't want to rush. Once it has returned the hostages in compliance with the first part of the agreement, it will have no bargaining power. That's why, before signing, it wants to ensure it has guarantees that Israel will not be able to reoccupy Gaza.

2. Israel's presence in Gaza

The plan details that, after their withdrawal, Israeli forces will be able to maintain a "perimeter security presence" in Gaza. "This is dangerous because there is no guarantee that Israel will respect the parameters of the agreement," Nimer maintains. Palestinians fear that the term "strike" actually conceals a partial occupation of the territory. "Perimeter presence" can mean fixed bases, patrols, access control zones, or closed corridors within Gaza itself; in other words, Hamas fears that by signing the agreement, it is institutionalizing Israel's presence in Gaza. In this sense, there is talk of an international force, which Egypt has announced will be discussed later this week in a European country yet to be determined.

The Arab American Institute (AAI), one of the think tank Based in Washington, the Washington-based think tank reviewed various analysts from the Arab, Israeli, and American press and concluded that the plan generates hope in all three regions, although "a significant group" sees it as flawed and dangerous for various reasons. One is the lack of definition of the terms and a mechanism to ensure the plan's implementation. It points out, for example, that the "apolitical and technocratic Palestinian committee" is not defined: "Will its members be vetted by the Trump-led council? Will the Israelis be able to veto its members? And without any clarity on these points, will the Palestinians consider this committee legitimized?" think tank.

3. The language

Analysts emphasize the importance of the vague language Israel uses in its agreements. Therefore, the wording of the agreement will be key. Netanyahu can use this uncertainty to find loopholes that favor Israel's interests.

The Arab American Institute also points out that one of the most problematic factors is the "vagueness" of the language. It notes that hardline Israelis, for example, are concerned about the mention of an Israeli withdrawal, the presence of Arab peacekeepers and Palestinian police, and the possible return of the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinians, on the other hand, "see that none of these provisions are guaranteed" and consider the plan "to be too focused on Israeli security, with little regard for Palestinian justice and security."

Who Wins with Peace?

With an immediate peace agreement, Donald Trump could claim an important medal in his first year in office. Israel would also gain politically because it would have secured the return of the hostages and dismantled Hamas. But the Palestinians have a tougher time: "The plan seems like an attempt to leave the Palestinians in permanent limbo, with no recognition of their standing or any prospect of self-determination," opines this analyst.