Israel grants limited time for Egypt-hosted Hamas talks under Trump’s peace plan, warning fighting will resume if no breakthrough occurs.
With the Trump-brokered ceasefire negotiations underway in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Israel has allocated only a few days for the indirect talks with Hamas before determining whether to resume full-scale combat in Gaza, Ynet reported Monday evening.
The discussions—facilitated by Egyptian and Qatari mediators—are focused on implementing the U.S. President’s comprehensive peace plan, which links a phased hostage release to a long-term cessation of hostilities. The talks remain in their early technical stages, yet tensions are already high as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed Israel’s delegation to hold firm to the Trump framework and prevent Hamas from manipulating or expanding the agreed-upon terms.
According to Israeli officials, Hamas has begun pressing mediators for guarantees that Israel will not resume military action once the 48 remaining hostages are freed—a demand Jerusalem flatly rejects as a bid to buy time and rearm.
“Israel will not tolerate delay tactics or deviations from the Trump plan,” an Israeli official told local media. “Every clause was negotiated in good faith; any new conditions are attempts by Hamas to derail peace and exploit American patience.”
The negotiations follow President Donald Trump’s direct intervention, after he personally requested that Israel pause its offensive operations late last week to allow diplomacy to proceed. In a warning on Truth Social, Trump urged Hamas to “move fast” or face “massive bloodshed,” emphasizing that this was a last chance to end the war and restore regional stability.
“There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and countries from all over the world—Arab, Muslim, and everyone else—this weekend, to release the hostages, end the war in Gaza, but more importantly, finally achieve long-sought peace in the Middle East,” Trump wrote.
Behind the scenes, Israeli negotiators are said to be coordinating closely with the White House’s special envoy and maintaining contact with regional allies including Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, all of whom view Trump’s initiative as the first credible blueprint for post-war reconstruction and demilitarization of Gaza.
If the talks collapse, sources confirm the Israel Defense Forces are prepared to immediately resume operations, targeting remaining Hamas strongholds in central and southern Gaza.
“The message from Jerusalem is clear,” said one Israeli analyst. “Peace is welcome—but only peace that is real. If Hamas tries to stall or deceive, the IDF will finish what it started.”
