Unresolved Issues Hinder Gaza Ceasefire Progress Amidst Ongoing Conflict

Wed Nov 12 2025 01:58:55 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As international mediators strive to advance talks for a Gaza ceasefire, unresolved issues including Hamas disarmament and the fate of fighters trapped underground present new challenges.

Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza face significant hurdles as new complexities arise, particularly regarding the status of trapped Hamas fighters in tunnels and fundamental disagreements over disarmament, reconstruction, and governance. The situation remains precarious as both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating ceasefire terms, contributing to a tense atmosphere with uncertain prospects for lasting peace.

US President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, returned to Israel on Monday, as mediators face a new obstacle in their efforts to advance negotiations on the fragile Gaza ceasefire deal to the next and more complex phase.

Key sticking points remain unresolved, including Hamas's disarmament, the reconstruction and future governance of Gaza, and the deployment of an international security force to the territory.

Without a timeline for the discussions, which are likely to require significant concessions from both Israel and Hamas, there are doubts that any progress can be achieved.

Another challenge has emerged recently, involving scores of Hamas fighters believed to be in tunnels beneath the southern city of Rafah behind the so-called Yellow Line, which marks the area under Israeli control.

Last week, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said an amnesty could be offered for fighters who laid down their arms, and that this could be a model for what Washington hoped to apply in the rest of Gaza.

Witkoff said 200 fighters were trapped, although this number has not been confirmed. According to media reports, Kushner and the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed the issue during a meeting in Jerusalem on Monday.

Hamas has previously said the fighters will not surrender and demanded that they are given safe passage, which has so far been rejected by Israel. An Israeli government spokeswoman stated that Netanyahu and Kushner had discussed phase one, which we are currently still in, to bring our remaining hostages, and the future of phase two of this plan, which includes the disarming of Hamas, demilitarizing Gaza, and ensuring Hamas will have no role in the future of Gaza ever again.

The war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 kidnappings. Since then, over 69,000 people have reportedly died in Gaza, as stated by the Hamas-run health ministry.

The first phase of the ceasefire, implemented last month, concentrated on halting hostilities, returning hostages, and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, ongoing accusations of ceasefire violations between Hamas and Israel highlight the fragility of the situation.

Hamas has previously rejected disarmament, conditional on the establishment of a Palestinian state. Given the stalemate, a de-facto partition of Gaza appears increasingly likely, raising international concerns over the long-term implications.