Regional and international mediations are intensifying to revive Hamas-Israel talks on Gaza's second ceasefire phase, despite Israel's stated aim of more conquest.
The current diplomatic push follows Israeli attacks on Hamas leaders and killings of Palestinian civilians, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to expand the Israeli army's control over 70 per cent of Gaza.
According to sources within Hamas, Egypt will host a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya to discuss the implementation of the second phase and to avoid collapse.
Egyptian media reports say Cairo has stepped up diplomatic efforts with mediators in Qatar, Turkey and the United States in an attempt to bring Hamas and Israel back to the negotiating table.
According to reports, Egyptian officials have also prepared a revised proposal with new mechanisms and additional details to overcome the key obstacles that have stalled progress toward the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Separately speaking with The New Arab , Palestinian observers said Israel's recent actions appear to carry both military and political objectives.
On one level, Israel's intensification of violence is intended to weaken Hamas's military and organisational capabilities. On another, it may represent an effort to strengthen Israel's negotiating position before entering discussions over Gaza's post-war future.
For Hamas, Palestinian political analyst Sufian Abu Zaida said one of the most significant challenges facing any post-war arrangement in Gaza is the future of tens of thousands of civil servants employed by Hamas-run institutions.
"The employee file has always been among the most complex issues and has repeatedly obstructed efforts to reach agreements," Abu Zaida told TNA . "It was also a major factor behind the failure of previous reconciliation attempts between Hamas and Fatah, as well as between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority."
He added that proposals developed by a national committee tasked with preparing for Gaza's post-war administration seek to address the issue by ensuring that employees do not lose their source of income.
According to Abu Zaida, some employees would be absorbed into the institutions that continue operating in Gaza, while others who face Israeli security objections would receive pensions and financial benefits without remaining in active service.
"Ensuring that employees retain their financial rights has been a fundamental condition in discussions over the committee's role and future work in Gaza," he explained.
Abu Zaida argued that finding a practical solution for Gaza's civil administration could remove one of the key obstacles to advancing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
However, he cautioned that progress will ultimately depend on Israel's willingness to accept arrangements that do not fully satisfy its political and security demands. Hamas signals flexibility over Gaza governance As efforts continue, Hamas has sought to project greater flexibility on one of the most contentious issues in the talks: who will govern Gaza after the war.
Hazem Qassem, the group's spokesperson in Gaza, said Hamas was prepared to hand over all governing responsibilities in the Strip, including security matters, to the national committee agreed upon by Palestinian factions.
"Hamas is fully prepared to transfer all governance files in the Gaza Strip, including the security file, to the national committee," Qassem said in televised remarks.
He stressed that the committee remains in Cairo and has not yet been allowed to enter Gaza, rejecting accusations that Hamas is refusing to relinquish authority.
Qassem also accused certain international actors of hindering the implementation of the second phase.
He claimed that statements alleging Hamas is unwilling to surrender power serve only to incite against the movement and provide Israel with additional justification for continuing its military campaign.
The Hamas official further accused international parties of linking the committee's entry into Gaza to conditions that were not included in the ceasefire agreement.
He argued that Israel has prevented the committee from entering through Gaza's crossings and that relevant international organisations have yet to provide the resources necessary for it to begin operating.
Hamas's latest position comes amid growing international pressure to establish a new governing framework for Gaza once the war ends.
Yet deep disagreements remain over the nature of any future administration, the role of Palestinian factions, and the relationship between a transitional authority and Hamas. The question of the right to armed resistance Despite ongoing contacts and mediation, Hamas's weapons remain the main obstacle to a broader agreement. US-created "Board of Peace’s" High Representative for Gaza, Nikolay Mladenov, repeatedly said that long-term Gaza arrangements must include disarmament, linking reconstruction and civilian governance to the end of armed groups.
However, Hamas rejected linking Gaza's future to disarmament because of the importance and inalienable right to resist, and Israel insisted Hamas must be removed and fully disarmed before any post-war agreements.
Hamas and Israel have continued to trade accusations over responsibility for the stalled implementation of the ceasefire agreement, with each side blaming the other for obstructing progress toward reconstruction and the next phase of the deal.
"The gap is significant, but mediation by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and contacts with Washington show regional efforts to prevent the process's collapse," Ahed Ferwana, a Gaza-based political analyst, told TNA .
"In fact, Israel's recent escalation aims to strengthen its bargaining, not end diplomacy. Israel has used similar tactics before, mixing military pressure with diplomacy," he said.
Meanwhile, he added, Hamas has shown flexibility on civilian and administrative issues but continues to reject any demands related to disarmament or the dismantling of its political structure.
"Whether this position will be sufficient to bridge the widening gaps in the negotiations remains uncertain," he explained. Gazans fear the consequences of failure For Gaza's residents, however, the negotiations are not simply a political process but a question of survival.
Ahmed al-Naji, 43, a father of five from Gaza City, told TNA that many Palestinians now view a second-phase agreement as their last realistic chance to escape a war that has devastated every aspect of life.
"We don't pay much attention anymore to political disputes or negotiation details," he said.
"What matters to us is that the bombing stops. Every time we hear there is progress in the talks, we feel a small sense of hope. Then the airstrikes return, more people are killed, and that hope disappears," he added.
Abu Shanab's home was destroyed during the war, forcing his family to move repeatedly across the Gaza Strip .
Umm Muhammad al-Sawarka, 36, lives in a tent with her four children after losing both her home and one of her brothers during the conflict.
"Every time negotiations stumble, our fear grows […] There is no safe place in Gaza . The bombing can reach anywhere," she said.
"We are afraid for our children all the time. Any agreement that opens the door to aid, reconstruction and some form of normal life would be a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of families," she added.
For al-Sawarka, civilians continue to bear the heaviest burden of the political deadlock.
"Politicians negotiate and exchange conditions," she added. "But we are the ones paying the price every day. Every day without an agreement means more victims, more destruction and more families losing everything."
Since the so-called October 2025 'ceasefire', Israel has killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza.