Egypt hosts Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas

Negotiations for the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire began in Cairo, Egypt, involving Israel, Hamas, Qatar, and the U.S. This phase aims to end the war and address the return of hostages and Israeli troop withdrawal. Hamas released the remains of four hostages in exchange for over 600 Palestinian prisoners. This exchange marks the end of the first phase of the ceasefire, which expires this weekend. Israel has stated it will not withdraw from a strategic corridor in Gaza, complicating negotiations. Hamas warned that maintaining this presence would violate the ceasefire agreement.