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First round of Middle East talks between the Palestinian group and intermediaries have concluded in the Arab Republic “amid a constructive environment”, according to Egyptian state-linked media early on Tuesday.

An Egyptian news source, affiliated with state intelligence, reported the discussions will resume on Tuesday, also between the militant faction and intermediaries in the tourist destination of Sharm El-Sheikh, where an representatives from Israel landed on the previous day.

The Israeli government and Hamas are expected to engage in mediated discussions on the specifics of a plan by US President Donald Trump for a hostage-prisoner swap and extended ceasefire.

The US president’s 20-point plan specifies an immediate ceasefire, an swap of all hostages held by Hamas for detainees from Palestine held by the Israeli state, a phased Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the demilitarization of Hamas and the establishment of a interim administration led by an international body.

One of the faction’s primary conditions since the beginning of the war has been a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory in exchange for the release of the outstanding captives. And while the Palestinian militant group has signaled its readiness to give up governing control, it has repeatedly ruled out disarming.

In this first phase of talks, Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries are collaborating with both sides to establish ground conditions for the release of the remaining forty-eight captives from Israel held in Gaza in return for one thousand seven hundred detainees from Palestine held in prisons in Israel, and to decide the date of a temporary truce.

This round of negotiations is anticipated to be difficult and complicated, and could continue for several days, as per reports. We will have additional information on the discussions soon.

The talks come as Israelis across the country prepare to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the October 7th Hamas-led assaults on southern Israel, in which about twelve hundred individuals, primarily non-combatants, were slain and two hundred fifty-one taken hostage.

Uncertainty Persists Over Peace Agreement

While there are optimistic indicators about this effort to bring about an conclusion to the conflict in Israel, there persists uncertainty over if a deal can be reached and, importantly, sustained.

Hamas has partially agreed to the US president’s twenty-point plan, which the Israeli government has agreed to, but there are still significant obstacles that need resolving, including the post-war administration of Gaza, the degree of withdrawal of Israeli forces and the group’s demilitarization.

Mediators have to agree which Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails. The Palestinian delegation is likely to ask for prominent leaders, such as the Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi, who are highly regarded in the West Bank and the coastal enclave.

Rightwing members of the Israeli government have put pressure on to ensure such influential individuals remain behind bars, news outlets in Israel has stated.

A far-right minister, the ultra-conservative government official, warned to quit the government if the faction still remained after the freeing of captives, introducing another hurdle to already fragile peace talks.