According to several Arab media reports, Hamas and Israel's first day of indirect negotiations in Egypt ended early on Monday.Hamas delegation said the talks had made positive progress, but Israel's ongoing bombing of the Gaza Strip "constituted a challenge" to the release of Israeli detainees.

The general reporter:After the first round of talks between Israel and Hamas, Egypt that the first round of talks was ¡°positive¡± and that the talks would continue today, according to an Arab official, the first day of the talks focused mainly on the two sides¡¯ explanation of their respective positions, clearly showing the mediators what the current differences are and how to resolve those differences, thus establishing a roadmap for the talks.

Hamas demands the release of senior Palestinian faction leaders, which Israel may not accept

The general reporter:With regard to the issue of releasing and exchanging detainees between the two sides, in addition to some enforcement mechanisms and details, the key is to release which Palestinians are detained.Hamas is demanding the release of some of the leaders of various Palestinian factions as well as some of those involved in the attacks on 7 October 2023, but this is unacceptable for Israel and will be discussed in the future.

Hamas calls for clear timetable for withdrawal

The general reporter:Hamas still demands a clear timetable for Israel's withdrawal. Before the talks, the Hamas delegation held a preparatory meeting with Egypt's General Intelligence Service, and Hamas made this point clear. At the same time, Hamas also expressed concern about whether Netanyahu's government could abide by the peace plan. It can be said that security is an issue that Hamas is most concerned about at present.

Israeli bombing continues in places around Gaza City and other places

The general reporter:We have noted that, despite the Israeli military announcement of the cessation of its offensive on Gaza City, reports of Israeli airstrikes around Gaza City have continued to circulate over the past two days, saying it was a strike against Hamas positions that threatened its security.

The follow-up stage faces complex political security tests

The general reporter:The two sides have achieved a short-term ceasefire and exchanged detainees over the past two years, for example, in November 2023, with a short ceasefire, but declaring a break in just a week. At the beginning of 2025, the two sides reached a three-stage ceasefire agreement, which, after the first six-week ceasefire, led to a ceasefire, once again accusing each other of violating the agreement.

Lack of mutual trust and supervision mechanisms and negotiations face multiple challenges

The general reporter:From these experiences it can be seen that the lack of mutual trust and effective supervision mechanisms are the main reasons for the ceasefire being difficult to sustain. In addition to the strong voices in both camps and the emergencies on the battlefield, the ceasefire terms are very fragile at the level of enforcement.

The current round of negotiations is regarded by many parties as the closest to success since the conflict broke out. On the one hand, the international community continues to exert unprecedented pressure and mediation efforts; On the other hand, the two-year war has exhausted both sides. However, whether this negotiation can get rid of the past cycle of "short-term ceasefire to another breakdown" and whether an effective implementation and supervision mechanism can be established is still the main challenge facing all parties.