As Gaza bleeds and global pressure mounts, backchannel diplomacy in Doha is quietly gaining momentum. In a high-stakes negotiation effort, Hamas has submitted a formal list of ceasefire demands to Qatari and Egyptian mediators, aimed at halting the months-long war with Israel.
According to sources familiar with the matter, indirect talks are underway in Qatar between Hamas and Israeli representatives. However, no face-to-face meeting has occurred. Instead, the two delegations remain in separate rooms, while Qatari and Egyptian mediators shuttle messages between them in a complex and delicate diplomatic choreography.
Hamas’s list of demands, now conveyed to Israel, includes the following key points:
Daily humanitarian aid access: Between 400 to 600 aid trucks must be allowed into Gaza every day to address the deepening humanitarian crisis.
Opening of Rafah Crossing: The critical Rafah border must be reopened to allow at least 20,000 Palestinians to seek medical treatment abroad.
Military withdrawal timeline: Israel must provide a clear and binding timeline to withdraw its forces to pre-war positions.
Evacuation of the Philadelphi Corridor: Hamas demands that Israeli troops vacate this strategic buffer zone along the Egypt-Gaza border.
No return to war: A firm guarantee that military operations will not resume during or after the negotiations.
The talks come amid mounting international concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where infrastructure collapse, civilian casualties, and displacement continue at alarming levels. While multiple ceasefire attempts have previously faltered, diplomats now describe the current negotiations as one of the most serious efforts yet to end the conflict.
Whether this round of talks will finally lead to a breakthrough — or yet another impasse — remains uncertain. But with the war dragging on and both sides under increasing pressure, the coming days could prove decisive.
