Hamas calls for a stop to Israeli attacks and a withdrawal of troops before the ceasefire timetable

Hamas has called for a halt to Israeli attacks and a withdrawal of Israeli troops to the “yellow line” before implementing the new roadmap for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. A Hamas representative said this after Hamas leader Khalil al-Haja's more than two-hour meeting with US envoy Jared Kushner in Egypt on Sunday. Representatives of the mediating states Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye also took part in the meeting, regional government circles said.

The yellow line has never been precisely defined. Israeli forces have advanced beyond them and now control around 60 percent of the Gaza Strip. The White House did not comment on the talks.

According to regional government circles, the meeting was also about obtaining Hamas's assurances about the 15-point roadmap and, in particular, its willingness to disarm. Kushner again called on Hamas to verifiably disarm, sources familiar with the talks told AFP. Kushner therefore further ruled out a role for Hamas in a future government of the Gaza Strip. He also emphasized that the Gaza Strip must “never again become a source of terror against Israel.”

The Hamas official said after the meeting that the group stands by the roadmap and is now waiting for mediators to begin the 14-day negotiation period to determine a timetable for implementation. Hamas called on mediators and the US-created Peace Council in a statement to "force" Israel to agree to the roadmap for next steps.

The demands come ahead of Kushner's scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. He rejects a withdrawal of Israeli troops as long as Hamas is not completely disarmed. In addition to Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the director of the Peace Council, Nikolai Mladenov, are also expected to take part in the meeting, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Regional powers condemn Israel's rejection

Several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, condemned Israel's rejection of the roadmap. “Israel now bears responsibility for hindering efforts to achieve peace in the Gaza Strip,” they said in a joint statement. Other signatories included Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia and the ceasefire brokers.

The foreign ministers called on the Peace Council and the US to take “immediate and concrete measures” so that no party could hinder the implementation of the plan.

Hamas and its allies killed more than 1,220 people and kidnapped 251 people as hostages in the Gaza Strip in their major attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel then launched massive attacks in the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian information, more than 70,000 people were killed.

A ceasefire has been in effect since October 2025, but both sides repeatedly accuse each other of violations. According to Palestinian figures, at least 1,259 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since then.