Monday, 25 May 2026
A Palestinian child stands at the site of an overnight Israeli air strike on a house, in Gaza City, July 11, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/File Photo
Gaza ceasefire negotiations stall over Israeli withdrawal
CAIRO/JERUSALEM — Efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza have reached an impasse over the scale of Israeli military withdrawal from the enclave, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources involved in the ongoing talks in Doha.
Despite these hurdles, discussions on a U.S.-backed 60-day ceasefire proposal are expected to press on, the sources told Reuters, as negotiators continue to seek common ground.
A Palestinian source indicated that Hamas has rejected withdrawal plans presented by Israel, which would maintain Israeli control over approximately 40% of Gaza, including the entirety of southern Rafah and significant areas in the north and east.
According to two Israeli sources, Hamas is demanding that Israel pull back to the positions it held during the previous ceasefire, prior to the resumption of Israeli military operations in March.
The Palestinian source added that disagreements around humanitarian aid and assurances for a permanent end to hostilities remain sticking points, suggesting that increased U.S. involvement might help move negotiations forward.
On Monday, the White House announced that Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, a key architect of the current ceasefire proposal, will travel to Doha this week to participate in the talks.
Both Israeli and Hamas delegations have been in Qatar since Sunday, renewing efforts for a deal that includes the gradual release of hostages, phased Israeli troop withdrawals, and comprehensive discussions on ending the conflict.
Hamas has consistently insisted that the war must end before it will release any remaining hostages, while Israel maintains the fighting will only cease once all hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled.
Since the launch of Israel’s campaign against Hamas, Gaza’s health authorities report that over 57,000 Palestinians have been killed, nearly the entire population of more than 2 million has been displaced, and the region faces a deepening humanitarian crisis with widespread destruction.