Netanyahu Reluctant to Withdraw; Hamas Refuses to Surrender Weapons Without Full Political Agreement

Negotiations in Cairo aimed at advancing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire have reached a dead end, multiple sources involved in the talks told Haaretz. According to officials, both Israel and Hamas are unwilling to take the critical steps required for progress: a significant Israeli withdrawal on one side and Hamas’s surrender of weapons on the other.

A senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of approving a substantial withdrawal as Israel enters an election campaign. The two bodies of Israeli abductees still held in Gaza, he said, are being used by Netanyahu as public and diplomatic justification for delaying the next stage of the ceasefire.

“Each side has demands and complaints, but we must be honest,” the official said. “Israel is the stronger side, and Netanyahu will not move forward without real international pressure—especially from the United States.”

Hamas Rejects Disarmament Without Guaranteed Withdrawal

Palestinian and Arab officials involved in the negotiations said Hamas refuses to hand over any weapons—even light arms—unless there is a clear, binding commitment to a full Israeli withdrawal and a detailed mechanism defining who will take possession of the weapons and who will enforce compliance.

Options discussed include transferring weapons to:

• The Palestinian Authority, or

• An external Arab oversight body

But without a comprehensive political agreement, sources said, none of these proposals are viable.

An Arab diplomat said Israel may still believe that military pressure could eventually achieve the disarmament of Hamas, causing it to stall on political negotiations.

Uncertainty Over Multinational Force Mandate

A central issue remains the proposed multinational force expected to enter Gaza as part of the second-phase arrangement. Key questions remain unresolved:

• What will the force’s mandate be?

• Which countries will participate?

• How can it operate without Israeli withdrawal from areas it currently controls?

Arab officials stressed that the UN Security Council mandate is insufficient and lacks operational detail.

Regional Mediators Struggle Without U.S. Pressure

Envoys from Egypt, Turkey and Qatar have held intensive rounds of talks in Cairo in recent days. But Arab sources say that without clear U.S. pressure on Israel, progress remains unlikely.

Meanwhile, the involvement of former British prime minister Tony Blair, who held meetings with senior Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah this week, is drawing criticism. Palestinian officials say Blair is perceived as acting on behalf of Jared Kushner, not as an independent international mediator.

Gaza Reconstruction Efforts Paralyzed

As negotiations stall, reconstruction efforts in Gaza have made virtually no progress. Rescue services report:

• Almost no rubble has been cleared

• Thousands of bodies remain trapped under collapsed buildings

• Heavy machinery and equipment needed for extraction are lacking

Officials say the focus on negotiations over the remains of Israeli abductees has slowed efforts to address the thousands of missing Gazans believed buried under the ruins.

There are fears that even when rubble removal begins, it will be limited to areas still under Israeli control, which could be prepared for temporary camps or new housing, while most of Gaza has no reconstruction plan at all.

Residents returning home say IDF attacks have decreased, but everyday hardships have worsened. Recent rains flooded tent areas, while hundreds of thousands remain without proper shelter. Israel is allowing in only dozens of aid trucks per day, far below the population’s needs.

Even in zones under Israeli administration, it remains unclear whether new housing infrastructure will be:

• Temporary, or

• Permanent

“There was a feeling of celebration when the ceasefire was announced,” said one Gaza resident. “But there are no answers to even the most basic questions.”

Fears of Prolonged Paralysis Until Israeli Elections

Sources in Gaza warn that the political uncertainty in Israel will likely freeze progress until after elections. Without resolution on:

• Disarming Hamas, and

• Future governance of the Strip

the second phase of the ceasefire remains unlikely to advance. For now, Gaza’s reality continues to be one of destruction, paralysis and profound uncertainty.