Representatives of Hamas have held talks in Cairo with envoys from a new diplomatic body established by U.S. President Donald Trump, in an effort to preserve the fragile ceasefire in Gaza as the broader regional war with Iran intensifies.
Three sources familiar with the discussions said the meeting took place over the weekend and involved members of Trump’s newly created “Board of Peace,” an international mechanism tasked with overseeing post-war governance and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.
The talks mark the first publicly reported contact between Hamas representatives and the board since the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran began.
Rafah crossing reopening linked to talks
Following the Cairo meeting, Israel announced it would soon reopen the pedestrian crossing between Gaza and Egypt at Rafah Crossing, which had been closed since the Iran war began.
One source said the Israeli decision appeared to be a direct outcome of the discussions between Hamas and representatives of the peace board.
Israel shut Gaza’s borders when the regional conflict escalated on February 28, citing security concerns. While limited humanitarian aid and goods have resumed entering the territory, the Rafah crossing the only pedestrian route linking Gaza to Egypt remained closed until the new announcement.
Israeli authorities said the reopening would occur later this week following a security assessment.
Hamas warns over ceasefire commitments
According to the sources, Hamas officials told the board that the group could reconsider its commitments under the Gaza ceasefire if Israel maintains restrictions imposed on the enclave during the Iran war.
A Palestinian official familiar with the talks said Hamas believes Israel is using the regional conflict to ease away from earlier commitments tied to the ceasefire agreement and post-war political arrangements.
Israeli officials have rejected that claim.
Trump’s Gaza plan under pressure
Before the escalation with Iran, Trump’s Gaza initiative had been presented as a central pillar of his Middle East diplomacy.
The plan followed an October ceasefire that left Israel controlling more than half of Gaza’s territory, with most of the enclave’s population concentrated in a narrow strip still administered by Hamas.
The next phase of the plan was expected to focus on reconstruction, governance arrangements and the controversial issue of Hamas disarmament.
However, talks on disarmament a key condition for long-term stability under the proposal have effectively stalled since the start of the Iran war.
More meetings expected
Sources said the peace board delegation was expected to include Aryeh Lightstone, an American aide to Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. A U.S. official confirmed that Lightstone had participated in Gaza-related meetings in Cairo in recent days but did not specify whether he had directly met with Hamas representatives.
Further discussions between the parties are expected later this week as diplomats attempt to prevent the Gaza ceasefire from collapsing amid the broader regional conflict.
Neither Israel nor Hamas publicly commented on the details of the Cairo talks.
Israel continues strikes in Gaza
Despite the ceasefire framework, Israel has continued military operations in Gaza during the wider regional war.
Israeli strikes on Sunday killed 12 people, including nine police officers, according to local authorities. The Israeli military said the attacks targeted threats or hostile fire from Hamas militants.
The continued violence highlights the fragile nature of the truce and the difficulty of separating the Gaza situation from the wider Middle East confrontation.
Analysis: Gaza diplomacy overshadowed by regional war
The Cairo talks illustrate how the war with Iran is reshaping the diplomatic landscape across the Middle East.
Trump’s Gaza plan had begun to gather momentum before the regional conflict erupted, with tentative steps toward reconstruction funding and the reopening of Gaza’s external crossings. But the escalation with Iran has diverted political attention and heightened security concerns across the region.
For Hamas, the war presents both risks and opportunities. On one hand, prolonged instability could worsen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. On the other, the regional crisis gives the group leverage to pressure Israel over restrictions imposed during the conflict.
For Washington and its partners, maintaining the Gaza ceasefire has become more complicated as diplomatic energy is consumed by the wider confrontation with Iran.
If the Iran war continues, the prospects for implementing the next phases of Trump’s Gaza initiative particularly the politically sensitive question of Hamas disarmament may remain on hold, leaving Gaza trapped in a fragile and uncertain interim arrangement.
With information from Reuters.
