Middle East officials look toward second phase of Israel-Hamas ceasefire with two hostages left in Gaza

Middle East officials met in Cairo to discuss the second phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The meeting included Turkish, Qatari, and Egyptian intelligence chiefs, as well as Qatar's prime minister. The second phase involves deploying an international stabilization force, developing an international governing body for Gaza, disarmament of Hamas, and moving Israel further away from its "yellow line" ahead of the international force's deployment. Two Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with Hamas committing to return them once their end of the deal is fulfilled. The ceasefire agreement has been disputed by both sides, but officials are working towards its implementation. A previous exchange saw two of the hostages released, and Israel returned the remains of a deceased hostage in exchange for the bodies of 15 Palestinians.

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories