Hamas Officials Say They’ve Started Talks On The Second Phase Of The Ceasefire

GAZA CITY, GAZA – FEBRUARY 02: Palestinians continue to return back to their homes after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, amid destruction in Gaza City, Gaza on February 02, 2025. Palestinians in Gaza, which has suffered massive destruction in Israeli attacks with almost no intact buildings remaining, are struggling to survive amid the rubble. In its attacks on Gaza, Israeli attacks targeted and destroyed not only homes but also UN facilities sheltering civilians, schools, hospitals, mosques, churches, and many historical sites. (Photo by Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Hamas officials say they’ve begun talks with international mediators over the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza that began last month. The accord mapped out three phases of negotiations to end the 15-month war. The first, which began Jan. 19, halted fighting, expanded the amount of humanitarian aid let into Gaza and exchanged Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages taken to Gaza during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Egypt, Qatar and the United States are mediating the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas.