Reports indicate that the radical Palestinian group Hamas rejected the ceasefire terms tied to the Gaza situation that were discussed in Paris. The information originated from Al Mayadeen, which cited sources familiar with the talks.
According to the channel’s sources, the Paris talks centered on an arrangement for exchanging prisoners and hostages. They did not address a broader ceasefire or the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, issues that Hamas has repeatedly identified as central to any durable settlement.
Al Mayadeen also noted that the proposed agreement lacks a specific clause confirming a ceasefire beyond any stated pause, and there is no explicit guarantee that hostilities would cease once such a pause concludes, should it occur.
Plans for a further meeting are on the table in Cairo, anticipated to take place in February with participation from a wide range of international representatives. The aim is to conduct a thorough and in-depth discussion of the Gaza situation, with Hamas to be briefed on outcomes before providing a final response.
Among the participants reported in the Paris negotiations were representatives from Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the United States, highlighting the international interest in resolving the Gaza crisis and shaping next steps.
The broader regional context intensified in early October when thousands of armed followers of Hamas crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israel, attacking civilians and abducting more than 200 people. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of war and launched a ground operation with the objective of recovering the hostages and weakening Hamas.
On January 15, a statement from the Israeli Defense Minister articulated that the Israeli Defense Forces had completed the active hostilities phase in the northern Gaza Strip and signaled a shift to reducing fighting intensity in the southern parts of the territory in the near term. The minister also suggested that any future governance in the Gaza Strip should come from a Palestinian authority that does not pose a threat to Israel.
Earlier discussions included a proposal to swap 3,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli facilities for 36 detainees held in Gaza, a substitution package that has been part of ongoing negotiation dynamics and humanitarian considerations amid the conflict.