Diplomatic window for peace in Gaza reopens

A diplomatic window for ending the conflict in the Gaza Strip reemerged as negotiators converged in Cairo, Egypt, for talks scheduled on Monday after both Israel and Hamas signaled support for a new United States peace plan to stop the war and ensure release of all remaining hostages.

The opportunity for peace, however fragile, has galvanized a chorus of optimistic statements from the international community, while mediators face the daunting task of bridging Israel's security demands, Hamas' bid for survival and the overwhelming humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza includes immediate ceasefire, phased withdrawal of Israeli troops, freeing of all hostages within 72 hours, international oversight of humanitarian aid and rebuilding the devastated territory under international supervision.

A Hamas statement on Friday said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to a technocratic Palestinian authority backed by Arab and Islamic states. The statement said the group was open to talks through mediators, but made no mention of Hamas disarming, which is a key Israeli demand.

Hours later, Trump declared that Hamas' response indicated it is "ready for lasting peace", and he urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza, "so we can quickly and safely extract the hostages".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said on Friday that Israel is prepared for the implementation of the "first stage" of Trump's plan, apparently referring to the release of hostages, said late on Saturday that the Israeli military will continue to hold territories it controls in Gaza, and that Hamas will be disarmed diplomatically "or through a military path by us". He added that a delegation had been sent to Cairo for the talks.

According to the White House, Trump dispatched two envoys on Saturday — his son-in-law Jared Kushner and the US' Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Qatar, Egypt, Turkiye and the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah have welcomed Hamas' statement, hoping it would become an important step toward achieving a complete ceasefire as the Gaza conflict nears its two-year mark.

Qatar "welcomes the announcement by Hamas of its agreement to President Trump's plan", said its Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari. Egypt said it hoped "this positive development will lead all parties to rise to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump's plan on the ground and ending the war".

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN "welcomes and is encouraged by the statement issued by Hamas, announcing its readiness to release hostages and to engage".

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a social media post on Friday, said Hamas' response must be "followed up without delay", and, "we now have the opportunity to make decisive progress towards peace".

Analysts said that Hamas' language was deliberately measured. The group said that broader political questions about Gaza's future and Palestinian rights would be decided collectively and "in line with international resolutions" — an acknowledgment of the US plan without binding concessions.

"It's a tactical retreat, not a strategic surrender," said Esmat Mansour, a Ramallah-based political analyst. "Hamas highlighted positive points, like prisoner exchanges and civilian administration, while avoiding sensitive issues such as disarmament."

Despite the Hamas statement saying that Trump's call to Israel to stop bombing Gaza is "encouraging", a senior Hamas official told AFP on Friday that the peace plan is "vague, ambiguous and lacks clarity".

Meanwhile, Israeli forces pressed on with operations in Gaza City. As many as 70 people were killed since Hamas released its response, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.

In Europe, pro-Palestine rallies were held on Saturday, calling for an end to the Gaza conflict and the immediate release of activists on board the Global Sumud flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the territory.

Police in Rome, Italy, said some 250,000 people showed up for a fourth day of protests, after Israel intercepted the 45-strong flotilla seeking to reach Gaza last week. Nearly 70,000 people took to the streets in Barcelona, Spain, while in capital Madrid, nearly 92,000 marched for a free Palestine. In the United Kingdom, police said they made at least 442 arrests in London.

In Paris, France, where some 10,000 people gathered, a spokeswoman for the French contingent of Global Sumud, Helene Coron, told the crowd: "We'll never stop. This flotilla didn't get to Gaza. But we'll send another, then another, until Palestine and Gaza are free."

Agencies contributed to this report.

cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn