4 hours ago
3
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
Hamas wants to ensure that a new cease-fire includes a guarantee that negotiations will lead to a permanent end to the Gaza war.
July 7, 2025, 1:04 p.m. ET
Officials from Israel and Hamas were holding talks to end the war in Gaza for the second consecutive day on Monday in Doha, Qatar, as President Trump and Arab mediators intensified their efforts to broker a cease-fire.
Israel and Hamas appeared to be closer to a truce than in recent weeks, but they were still wrangling over the terms of a deal that would see the release of hostages held in Gaza.
During previous talks, Israelis and Palestinians have seen their hopes for an agreement rise only be dashed days later, with Israel and Hamas blaming each other for obstructing progress.
“There are still disputes between the two sides,” said Jehad Harb, an analyst on Palestinian affairs based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. “But if they have the will, they can conclude an agreement.”
Hamas has insisted that any deal must pave a path to a complete and lasting cessation of hostilities. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has insisted that Israel would agree to that only if Hamas’s military wing and government are dismantled.
Here is where things stand in the talks based on conversations with a Hamas official, an Israeli official, and a person briefed on the negotiations, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details.
