Hamas to skip Gaza ceasefire signing ceremony in Egypt
Representatives of the Palestinian movement Hamas will not attend the official ceremony for signing the peace agreement with Israel in Egypt.
Hamas Political Bureau member Hossam Badran made the announcement in an interview with AFPTV, reported by Le Figaro.
According to Badran, Hamas will continue negotiations through intermediaries—Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye. He did not specify the reasons for skipping the ceremony but emphasized that the movement remains committed to dialogue through trusted channels.
The Israel-Hamas conflict, reignited by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack (1,200 Israeli deaths, 250 hostages), has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, displaced 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, and caused a humanitarian crisis with famine risks due to aid restrictions.
After failed ceasefires in 2023 and early 2025, U.S. President Trump’s “Comprehensive End of Gaza War” plan—outlining phased hostage releases (50 living Israelis for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners), Israeli troop withdrawals, Hamas disarmament, international Gaza governance, and increased aid—gained momentum in October 2025. Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey mediated indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, culminating in a ceasefire starting October 10, with a formal signing planned in Cairo.
By Khagan Isayev