Israel’s Channel 12: Positive progress in Gaza talks despite disagreements

Hebrew Channel 12 said a source familiar with the talks on halting the Gaza war confirmed positive progress in negotiations taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, despite remaining gaps that need to be swiftly resolved to reach a final agreement to end the war.

The source, a mediator participating in the talks, said Hamas refuses to leave the Palestinian arena after the end of the Israeli occupation and also refuses to give up its defensive weapons.

He added that the movement does not oppose the release of all Israeli detainees in exchange for a wide release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, foremost among them leader Marwan Barghouti.

The channel said a meeting was held Wednesday afternoon at the Sharm el-Sheikh resort, including US presidential envoys Jason Kushner and Gabriel Witkof, alongside the heads of Egyptian and Turkish intelligence and the prime minister of Qatar, in an attempt to achieve a breakthrough in talks on halting the war in Gaza.

It explained that Turkey’s participation in the Sharm el-Sheikh talks represents a new phase of regional engagement in the negotiations, as for the first time Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin—one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s closest aides—and the former Turkish chief of staff joined the discussions.

It said Kalin’s direct involvement reflects Ankara’s desire to cement an active role in shaping Gaza’s future, as an influential mediator alongside Qatar and Egypt.

It added that the tone of the Qatari and Egyptian delegations over recent days has been balanced between cautious optimism and increasing pressure on both sides.

It pointed out that Doha presents itself as a mediator to bridge differences between Israel and Hamas, but stresses that responsibility for implementing any agreement rests with the two parties, according to the channel’s sources.

As for Cairo, the Hebrew channel’s analysis says it recognizes that its reputation as a trusted regional mediator obliges it to achieve an actual breakthrough rather than mere political statements; Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati speaks in terms of direct implementation to halt the war, Israeli withdrawal and the release of detainees.