Israel to send delegation to Doha for talks on second phase of Gaza ceasefire Saturday

CAIRO – 7 February 2025: Israel is set to dispatch a “working-level” delegation to the Qatari capital, Doha, on Saturday to start discussions regarding the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, according to Israeli reports.

The ceasefire in Gaza took effect on January 19 following over 15 months of war that devastated the enclave, killing more than 47,000 Palestinians and displacing most of the population.

In the first phase of the three-phase agreement, Hamas and Israel engaged in four prisoner exchanges, swapping a total of 18 captives—13 Israelis and 5 Thai nationals—in recent weeks.

In return, Israel released 583 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences.

The next exchange is scheduled for Saturday, with over 70 captives still held in Gaza.

The second phase is anticipated to involve the release of all remaining captives, a permanent ceasefire, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave, while reconstruction efforts will be addressed in the final phase.

The ceasefire remains intact despite US President Donald Trump's comments suggesting a plan for Washington to “take over” Gaza and relocate Palestinians, raising serious concerns about the possibility of a long-term peace in the enclave.

During a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Trump asserted that the US aims to transform Gaza into a developmental project that could become “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

He reiterated this proposal on Thursday, stating that the “Gaza Strip would be handed over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of the fighting.”

His suggestions have sparked widespread condemnation from Arab and European nations, as well as from global powers like Russia and China, and US Democratic lawmakers.

Egypt and Qatar, the mediators who, alongside the US, facilitated the ceasefire after extensive negotiations between Israel and Hamas, are advocating for the continuation of the ceasefire phases.

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday emphasized the importance of implementing the ceasefire in all three stages and ensuring its durability.

Meanwhile, Egypt and Jordan, while supporting the ceasefire, have been also resisting pressure from Trump to accept Palestinians from Gaza, “whether on a temporary or permanent basis.”

The international community, particularly Arab states and the European Union, views Gaza as an essential part of a future Palestinian state under a two-state solution and has expressed strong opposition to Trump's recent proposals.