Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks Stumble Over Israeli Military Presence and Forced Displacement Plan

According to Saed News, indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza have stalled due to what Palestinian sources describe as intransigent Israeli demands. Chief among these is Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military foothold within Gaza, despite calls for full withdrawal.

Two informed Palestinian sources revealed to AFP that talks in Doha have regressed sharply, citing Israel’s proposal to present a “withdrawal map” which in practice outlines troop redeployments rather than an actual pullout. “This is not a real withdrawal,” one source emphasized.

Complicating the situation further is Israel’s proposal to forcibly relocate Palestinians to Rafah, under the pretext of constructing a so-called “humanitarian city” built from tents on the ruins of southern Gaza. The plan, disclosed by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, envisions moving 600,000 Palestinians to a fenced zone where they would face intense security scrutiny and strict mobility restrictions. Observers have condemned the scheme as a veiled form of ethnic cleansing.

Hamas has demanded that the United Nations oversee humanitarian relief. Israel, however, insists on using the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-backed and Israeli-endorsed body. Washington has reportedly pressured UN agencies to cooperate with GHF, despite growing opposition.

Since late May, over 700 Palestinians seeking food aid have been killed by Israeli forces and private contractors, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Nearly 5,000 more have been injured in daily shooting incidents. The UN Relief and Works Agency described GHF’s aid distribution model as “abhorrent” and a “death trap disguised as relief.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli delegation has submitted maps proposing continued military presence across more than 40% of Gaza. Hamas has categorically rejected the plan, viewing it as a re-legitimization of occupation and a means to isolate half the enclave into militarized zones with no freedom of movement.

Talks have now been postponed until the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha. While some minor progress has reportedly been made on prisoner releases and humanitarian access, Palestinian negotiators claim the Israeli team lacks decision-making authority and accuse them of deliberately stalling the agreement to prolong what they describe as a campaign of genocidal warfare.