Hamas holds Cairo talks to revive Gaza ceasefire agreement

Hamas has held consultations in Cairo aimed at addressing obstacles to the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, Asharq Al-Awsat reported on 18 March.

The next phase of the deal had been due to begin in mid-January but stalled amid wider regional tensions, including the war between Israel, the US, and Iran. Hamas officials are seeking to restart the process, address Israeli violations and resolve issues linked to the blockade on Gaza.

Talks in Cairo brought together Hamas officials, Egyptian intelligence representatives and United Nations envoy Nikolay Mladenov. The delegation was led by Nizar Awadallah and included senior official Ghazi Hamad. Egypt and Qatar have continued to act as key mediators in efforts to sustain the ceasefire.

Discussions covered Israeli violations, the operation of the Rafah crossing and proposals for governance in Gaza, including integrating Hamas members into the police and transferring administrative control to a committee.

Hamas disarmament was also raised, but talks on the issue are expected to continue only after Palestinian police and international stabilisation forces are deployed.

Separate contacts in Cairo have also involved envoys linked to US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace”. The body, tasked with overseeing post-war Gaza, has met Hamas representatives in recent days in an effort to stabilise the ceasefire.

Israel said it would reopen the Rafah crossing for pedestrians following a security assessment. The crossing has been closed since 28 February, when Israel shut Gaza’s borders at the start of the Iran war, citing security concerns. One source said the move may be linked to the Cairo talks, although Israeli authorities have not confirmed this.

Talks on Hamas disarmament, part of a broader US-backed plan for Gaza, have been on hold since the escalation with Iran. Hamas officials have warned the group could reconsider previous commitments if restrictions imposed during the war remain in place.

The ceasefire agreement was reached in October and left Israel controlling more than half of Gaza’s territory, with most of the population concentrated in a limited area under Hamas control. The plan includes provisions for reconstruction, prisoner exchanges and further Israeli withdrawals.

Israeli strikes have continued during the wider regional conflict. Attacks on 16 March killed 12 people, including nine police officers, according to Palestinian sources. Israel said its operations targeted threats linked to Hamas.

Asharq Al-Awsat, Reuters, Maghrebi.org