Gaza Ceasefire: Israel, Hamas Likely To Begin Phase 2 Negotiations On Monday

ꦐAs phase one of the Gaza ceasefire continues, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to begin the negotiations for the second phase with Hamas.

🥂As per reports, the Israeli PM's office stared that the talks are likely to begin on Monday after the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange is concluded.

🌄As per Netanyahu's office, the Israeli PM spoke with Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and stated that negotiations will "begin when they meet in Washington".

🌱AFP reported that Witkoff will first talk with Qatar and Egypt before negotiating with the Israeli leader about the second phase and dates for delegations to negotiate.

READ | Trump’s Gaza Plan Sends Out Conflicting Signals

♔As per the terms laid out for the first phase of the ceasefire, the negotiations for the next stage must begin "no later than the 16th day of phase one", which is on Monday.

🌜Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and implemented it on January 19, 2025, after a three-hour delay. The first phase of the ceasefire saw the release of Israeli and Thai hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The ceasefire plan in place was presented by former US President Joe Biden ♈before the UN Security Council. This plan calls for three phases of a ceasefire, which would ultimately lead to a truce.

൩In his final address, the former US President stated that the ceasefire will remain in place until the details of the second phase are not finalised, even if the talks you beyond the 42-day truce.

ꦉIsrael's war on Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian militant group launched a terror attack in southern Israel.

🔯The Hamas attack killed 1,200 Israelis and around 250 people were taken as hostages. In response to this, Israel launched a war against Gaza, which has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, including women and children.