Peace talks enter Day 2 on Gaza war anniv

Peace talks between Israel and Hamas were resuming at an Egyptian resort city on Tuesday, the two-year anniversary of the militant group’s surprise attack on Israel that triggered the bloody conflict that has seen tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza.

The second day of indirect negotiations in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is focused on a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump last week that aims to bring about an end to the war in Gaza. After several hours of talks on Monday, an Egyptian official with knowledge of the discussions said the parties agreed on most of the first-phase terms, which include the release of hostages and establishing a ceasefire. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meetings.

The plan has received widespread international backing, and Trump told reporters on Monday that he thought there was a “really good chance” of a “lasting deal”.

“This is beyond Gaza,” he said. “Gaza is a big deal, but this is really peace in (West Asia).”

Many uncertainties remain, however, including the demand that Hamas disarm and the future governance of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long said Hamas must surrender and disarm, but Hamas has not yet commented on whether it would be willing to.

The plan envisions Israel withdrawing its troops from Gaza after Hamas disarms, and an international security force being put in place.

The territory would then be placed under international governance, with Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251.

Cost of conflict

• Since the start of the war, out of every 10 Palestinians in Gaza, one has been killed or injured in an Israeli strike; nine are displaced; and at least three have not eaten for days

• Out of every 100 Palestinian children, four have lost either one or both parents

• Out of every 10 buildings that stood in Gaza pre-war, eight are either damaged or flattened

• Roughly 11% of Gaza’s population has been killed or injured

• In all, Israel’s campaign has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry

‘Women often absent from negotiations’

Twenty-five years after a landmark UN resolution demanded equal participation for women in efforts to promote peace, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that far too often women remain absent.

World leaders react

• French Prez Emmanuel Macron: “Two years after the unspeakable horror of Hamas terrorism, the pain remains raw. We do not forget. I reiterate France’s call: the release of all hostages and a ceasefire must take place without delay.”

• Italian PM Giorgia Meloni: “Two years have passed since the ignominy of the massacre carried out by Hamas terrorists against thousands of defenceless and innocent Israeli civilians, including women and children.”

• British PM Keir Starmer: “Today, we mark two years since the horrifying attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists...Time does not diminish the evil we saw that day.”