On Thursday, February 27, "intensive discussions" took place in Cairo between delegations from Israel and Qatar, with the participation of U.S. representatives, regarding the next steps in the ceasefire, according to Egypt’s state information service. The second phase of the ceasefire, set to begin on Sunday, aims to bring a definitive end to the war and secure the release of the remaining Israeli captives held in Gaza.  

The first phase of the truce saw the return of 33 detainees to Israel, including eight who had died, and the release of 1,700 Palestinians out of a planned total of 1,900. During the Cairo negotiations, the parties engaged in detailed discussions on the next phases of the truce agreement, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the implementation of previously agreed terms. They also addressed ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-torn Palestinian territory, the Egyptian statement added.  

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that a delegation would travel to Egypt to assess the possibility of extending the first phase of the truce, which is set to expire on Saturday. Israeli authorities are seeking to prolong this initial phase, under which Hamas would release three captives per week in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.  

The Israeli cabinet faces growing public pressure to maintain the ceasefire and secure the release of the remaining captives. A total of 58 prisoners are still held in Gaza, 34 of whom are believed to have died, according to the Israeli military. Hamas has confirmed its readiness to release all remaining captives in one go if the second phase of the agreement is accepted.  

The Palestinian abductees were initially scheduled to be released on Saturday in exchange for six living captives held by Hamas. However, Israel delayed the process, claiming that resistance fighters had mistreated Israeli captives—a move Hamas condemned as an attempt to sabotage the ceasefire.  

A senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against any further delays in the prisoner exchange agreement, accusing him of manipulating the fate of the Israeli captives. Another Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, condemned the decision as an Israeli attempt to evade its commitments and urged international mediators to pressure Israel to uphold the agreement.  

The negotiations are set to conclude on March 1, as Israel, having failed to achieve its military objectives in Gaza, was forced to accept a ceasefire that has been in effect since January 19.