Israel, Hamas begin talks on second phase of Trump peace plan

Israel and Hamas have begun negotiations on implementing the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan, despite Hamas not yet returning the remains of all Israeli hostages, as required under the plan’s first phase.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Egypt is meanwhile forming a special mission to recover the remains of Israelis, with the operation expected to involve up to 10,000 personnel.

Turkish specialists will also participate, while Israel opposes the involvement of representatives from the Palestinian Authority.

WSJ also notes challenges in forming an international contingent that, under the agreement, the IDF would hand control over to as it withdraws from certain Gaza areas. Many Arab countries fear that their military presence in Gaza could be perceived as an occupation.

The first phase, activated on October 10, secured a ceasefire and the release of the 20 remaining living Israeli hostages held since the October 7, 2023, attack—in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Israeli custody. Humanitarian aid has begun flowing unrestricted into Gaza, including the reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt. However, phase one hit a snag when Hamas failed to deliver all 28 bodies of deceased hostages by the October 13 deadline, handing over only four (later identified as Uriel Baruch, Tamir Nimrodi, Eitan Levi, and one unidentified individual not matching hostage records).

Israeli officials accused Hamas of violating the agreement, prompting threats to limit aid trucks, suspend fuel imports, and keep Rafah closed. Hamas cited Gaza's extensive destruction—much of it reduced to rubble from two years of conflict—as complicating rapid recovery efforts.

By Khagan Isayev