According to CCTV news reports, on the evening of October 4 local time, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that within the framework of Egypt and other mediators 'continued efforts to end the Gaza conflict, Egypt will host the Israeli and Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on the 6th. Meeting between delegations. The two sides will discuss the specific circumstances and details of the exchange of all detained persons based on US President Trump's proposal.
Prior to this, Hamas issued a statement on the evening of the 3rd, agreeing to release all Israeli hostages and hand over the bodies of the victims according to Trump's "20-point plan", provided that the necessary conditions for the exchange are met. Against this background, Hamas is willing to negotiate immediately through mediators to discuss the specific details of this process. Israeli officials said that Israel suspended its ground offensive in Gaza on the 4th and is preparing to send a delegation to Egypt for indirect talks with Hamas.
Some analysts believe that the statements made by the leaders of Hamas and Israel, coupled with what Israel calls "reducing bombing in order to implement the preliminary steps of the Trump plan," indicate that the pressure for a ceasefire between the two sides has far exceeded any time in recent months. However, there are still fundamental differences in the positions of the two sides, and the current fragile détente situation may still collapse at any time.
Previously, efforts by all parties to seek a ceasefire in Gaza ended in failure many times. Israel and Hamas have only reached agreements on temporary ceasefires in the past: once in November 2023, lasting about a week; Another time was at the beginning of this year and lasted less than three months.
On October 4, 2025 local time, a Palestinian man carries buckets on a coastal path northwest of Nusayat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. Visual China Map
What are the statements of the parties in the negotiations?
According to the White House documents, the “20 Points Plan” requires Hamas to release all detainees within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance of the plan; Israel to allow international humanitarian aid to enter Gaza after all hostages have been released; Gaza to be temporarily managed by a committee of technical experts under international supervision; Gaza to start the de-militarization process, Hamas to deposit arms and not participate in the governance of Gaza; Israel to set up a buffer zone and phased withdrawal of troops in Gaza.
In response, Hamas clearly agreed to two points in its response statement on the evening of the 3rd: one is to release all detained Israeli personnel and remains under the framework of the "20-point plan"; the other is to agree to transfer the management of Gaza to a Palestinian institution composed of independent technocrats. However, Hamas linked the release of detainees to two conditions: one is to "provide necessary on-site conditions for the exchange operation" and the other is to negotiate implementation details through a mediator.
On the evening of October 4 local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video speech saying that after coordination with US President Trump, Israel is promoting a "diplomatic action to reverse the situation" while the Israeli army continues to penetrate into Gaza City. At the same time, it urged the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) to release all detainees. Netanyahu said that in the first phase, all detainees will be released and the Israeli army will adjust its deployment in Gaza and continue to monitor the Gaza Strip. The goal of the second phase is to ensure that Hamas disarms and Gaza is demilitarized.
On the issue of Hamas disarmament, Israel's far-right forces remain very tough. Israel's Ha 'aretz reported on the 4th that Israel's far-right politician and National Security Minister Ben-Gwil issued a statement saying that he had told Prime Minister Netanyahu that if Hamas still exists after all detainees were released, the Jewish Power Party it leads will withdraw from the government. Another far-right politician, Finance Minister Smotreh, called Netanyahu's decision to suspend military operations in Gaza City and negotiate with Hamas a "serious mistake."
According to Channel 12 TV on the same day, the U.S. is clear that Smutrich and Ben-Gewil are likely to oppose Trump's "20-point plan" and may attempt to bring Netanyahu's government down. Israeli opposition party "Have a Future" party leader, former prime minister Rapid has overnight reaffirmed to the U.S. that he will ensure the government will not fall, suggesting that it may fill the gap after the far-right party withdrew from the ruling coalition.
What is the crux of the negotiation?
According to some analysts, Hamas’ response to Trump’s “20-point plan” was “wise and deliberately vague” and highlighted positive aspects such as the release of detainees and the transfer of administration to Palestinian institutions, but deliberately avoided understanding sensitive issues such as the exclusion of arms.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post that as Hamas’ release of hostages was linked to the two issues of Israeli withdrawal and the end of the war, despite Trump’s claim to “believe Hamas is ready for lasting peace,” negotiators from several Arab countries concluded that the group had actually rejected Trump’s plans after seeing Hamas’s response.
Disagreements within Hamas may also add to the uncertainty of the negotiations. The New York Times reported that some members within Hamas believe that Hamas should not disarm in the Gaza Strip even if it pays the price of continued Israeli attacks and more Palestinian deaths. Others believe the group needs to show a more pragmatic attitude and consider proposals that can address Israel's concerns about Hamas 'arming.
The Washington Post reported that another major sticking point in the negotiations may be that Netanyahu insists that even if all hostages are released, the IDF may not immediately withdraw from Gaza until it is confirmed that other requirements, including Hamas disarmament and Gaza's overall security, are met. Hamas, for its part, has long insisted that further hostage releases must be conditional on Israel's full withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war.
An Israeli official who asked not to be named said on the 4th that Israel only agreed to a "yellow line" to withdraw to Gaza after all hostages were released, which was what Israel requested to add to the "20-point plan." But the official also said that the specific elements of the plan-including the eventual full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a feasible path to the establishment of a unified Palestinian state-"will be discussed during negotiations."
Notably, the Israeli public broadcaster on Thursday evening that Israel had informed the United States that it would request continued stationing in the buffer zone around Gaza and in the Philadelphia corridor bordering Egypt “for years to come.”
The Washington Post commented that pressure was now focused on Netanyahu. He said that if Hamas released all hostages and agreed to disarmament, Israel pledged to end the war, while Israeli officials and government advisers had previously thought Hamas would not agree to these two conditions. Today, as Hamas agreed to release all hostages and demanded to discuss the conditions for the Israeli withdrawal, Netanyahu's willingness to end the war will be tested.