Talks, truces & breakdowns: The unending quest for peace in Gaza

Most of these centred on securing the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, combined with phased ceasefires and humanitarian relief.

The first of these, a notable breakthrough, came in November 2023, when Qatar, with the support of the US and Egypt, brokered a four-day pause in fighting.

The deal secured the release of 50 Israeli hostages in return for 150 Palestinian detainees, and allowed aid convoys into Gaza.

The pause was extended briefly before hostilities resumed.

Through early 2024, mediators in Doha and Cairo pushed “everyone for everyone” swap proposals, seeking to trade all remaining hostages for thousands of Palestinian prisoners. However, Israel and Hamas could not reach a ceasefire.

A more ambitious framework emerged in May 2024, when Egypt and Qatar unveiled a three-stage plan, with US backing. The draft envisaged an initial 42-day truce, phased hostage releases, Israeli withdrawals and eventually a “sustainable calm” leading to reconstruction. Hamas publicly accepted the plan, but Israel deemed it inadequate, and negotiations dragged on.

The United Nations Security Council threw its weight behind the proposal in June 2024, endorsing the call for a phased ceasefire and humanitarian access.

Yet divisions within Israel’s Cabinet and continued Hamas rocket fire prevented implementation.

In a rare moment of progress, mediators struck a fresh accord in January 2025, paving way for staged hostage-prisoner exchanges and a temporary cessation of hostilities. The deal, signed on January 15 and enforced days later, saw several exchanges completed, but fighting resumed within weeks, derailing hopes of a lasting truce.

The latest flurry of diplomacy came this week.

On September 29, 2025, Washington unveiled a new peace proposal that sought an immediate cessation of hostilities, full return of hostages, and a pathway to Gaza’s reconstruction under international oversight.

This proposal — termed US President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict — comprises a 21-point “New Gaza” blueprint, which calls for demilitarisation and governance by a technocratic board.

Arab states have also floated ideas at various summits, including funding reconstruction and supporting Palestinian statehood, while rejecting controversial resettlement suggestions, reportedly aired in regional discussions.

Nearly two years into the conflict, the common thread across all proposals remains the same: phased truces, prisoner exchanges, humanitarian access, and Gaza’s rebuilding.

But, with Israel and Hamas holding irreconcilable positions on permanent ceasefire terms, every plan so far has collapsed before delivering peace.