Cairo, February 28, 2025: Negotiations resumed in Cairo on Friday as mediators push forward with discussions on the second phase of an Israel-Hamas ceasefire, aiming to bring an end to the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The talks follow a day after Israel’s military admitted its “complete failure” in preventing the Hamas attack in 2023, which ignited the war.
“Too many civilians died that day, asking themselves in their hearts or out loud—where was the IDF?” an Israeli military official stated.
Egypt confirmed that delegations from Israel, Qatar, and the US had arrived for “intensive discussions” on advancing the truce.
“The relevant parties have begun talks on the next phases of the ceasefire agreement, ensuring implementation of the previously agreed terms,” Egypt’s State Information Service said in a statement.
The first phase of the ceasefire is set to expire on Saturday, prompting urgent negotiations to extend and solidify the truce.
Israel dispatched negotiators to Cairo after Hamas returned the remains of four hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners under the initial ceasefire agreement.
On Thursday, Israel carried out a final prisoner swap under the first phase, releasing 643 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the four hostages’ remains.
Among those released was Nael Barghouti, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israel, who had been incarcerated for over four decades.
“We were in hell and came out of hell. Today is my real day of birth,” said freed prisoner Yahya Shraideh.
The loss was deeply emotional, especially for the family of Tsachi Idan, who had hoped for his return alive.
Internal Criticism of Netanyahu’s War Strategy
An internal Israeli military report released on Thursday acknowledged that the IDF had been “overconfident” and misjudged Hamas’s capabilities, leading to devastating consequences on October 7, 2023.
The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 48,000, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, figures deemed credible by the United Nations.
The report has intensified domestic criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war and the hostage crisis, with growing pressure for a more decisive resolution.
