Hamas says talks with Israel on the second stage of the Gaza cease-fire have reached a deadlock, according to reporting cited by regional media and broadcast updates from Al Jazeera English. The dispute centers on whether the deal can move forward before the first phase is fully implemented and on the question of Hamas disarmament.
As reported by Al Jazeera English, analyst Mouin Rabani said Hamas informed mediators that it would not discuss disarmament or second-phase negotiations until the initial terms of the cease-fire are completed. In that report, he said the talks to implement the second phase are “deadlocked.”
What Are Reactions?
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, mediators in Cairo are trying to revive the process and bridge the impasse, with discussions involving Egyptian officials, Palestinian factions, and Nickolay Mladenov. The outlet said Hamas has insisted that Israeli withdrawal, a stabilization force, and a police force must come before any steps on disarmament.
The same report said Israel has maintained that it will not withdraw from Gaza unless Hamas is disarmed first. That position remains one of the central obstacles to advancing the second phase of the cease-fire plan.
Supporting Details
Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Hamas and other Palestinian factions reaffirmed their commitment to completing all phases of the cease-fire and were invited to resume talks in Cairo in the coming days. The outlet also said mediators are working to keep the agreement alive while preventing either side from hardening its position further.
The report added that Palestinian analyst Nizar Nazzal said Hamas believes Israel is unlikely to implement the second phase, prompting the group to signal readiness to proceed with the full agreement in an effort to shift pressure onto Israel.
What Happens Next?
The immediate next step appears to be continued mediation in Cairo, where officials are expected to try to break the stalemate and address unresolved issues. Those include the broader framework for governance in Gaza and the sequencing of security-related commitments.
For now, the verified reporting shows that both sides remain locked in opposing demands, with Hamas tying second-stage talks to full implementation of earlier cease-fire terms and Israel linking further progress to Hamas disarmament.
