Egypt has convened Hamas, Palestinian factions and international mediators in Cairo to try to revive a US-brokered ceasefire as Israeli strikes killed at least nine people across Gaza. The talks aim to resolve key disputes over Israeli troop withdrawals, Hamas disarmament and Gaza’s reconstruction, but progress is stalled. Since last October, around 947 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,900 wounded in ongoing operations; wider counts from rights monitors put total deaths far higher and report nearly 1.9 million displaced.
Nine Killed in Gaza as Ceasefire Talks Resume in Cairo
Mourners at the funeral of Abdullah Qaddoum and his five-year-old daughter Maryam. They were killed on June 6 following Israeli bombardment of the Rimal shelter for Palestinians displaced by war in Gaza City [AFP]
The Israeli military killed at least nine people and wounded dozens across the Gaza Strip since dawn, Al Jazeera and Reuters report, as Egypt hosted a new round of talks with Hamas and other Palestinian factions aimed at reviving a US-brokered ceasefire.
Five people were killed in a strike on a police post in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis in the south, three were killed in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City, and one person was killed on a beach in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza.
Talks in Cairo
Egypt convened envoys from Hamas, other Palestinian factions and mediators from the Board of Peace, Qatar, Turkey and the United States to try to resume progress toward a lasting ceasefire. Delegates told Reuters and other media that ending Israeli attacks on Gaza is a prerequisite for any forward movement.
The discussions are expected to continue for several days as negotiators try to bridge major gaps over key issues: an Israeli military withdrawal from parts of Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and a plan for post-conflict reconstruction.
What’s at Stake
Major hostilities have been largely paused since October 2025 under a US-brokered ceasefire, but the second, more sensitive phase—under which Hamas would disarm and Israeli forces would withdraw—has been stalled for months.
Husam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told Al Jazeera the group would not hand over its weapons yet; he said the future of Hamas’s arsenal would be decided after broader discussions with other Palestinian factions.
Since last October, continued Israeli operations have killed about 947 Palestinians and wounded more than 2,900 people. Hamas fighters have killed four Israeli soldiers during the same period, according to the counts cited by local and international reporters.
Humanitarian and rights monitors report much higher cumulative totals for the entire conflict: at least 72,971 people killed and nearly 1.9 million forcibly displaced, with several prominent scholars and a UN independent inquiry saying those outcomes amount to genocide. These characterisations are contested politically and legally but have been made by multiple observers and institutions.
Territorial Control and Displacement
The Israeli military now controls roughly 64% of the Gaza Strip, up from the 53% envisaged under the original ceasefire arrangement. In areas under its control, the army has ordered large-scale displacements and levelled many remaining buildings. On May 28, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military to expand control to 70% of the enclave.
Residents and aid agencies report that apartment buildings, markets, cafes and vehicles continue to be struck, and some families have received displacement orders just minutes before their homes were bombed, complicating humanitarian relief and evacuations.
Next Steps
Negotiators in Cairo face a narrow window to reconcile opposing demands: Israel’s need for security guarantees and Hamas’s insistence on an end to attacks and protection for Palestinians. The talks’ outcome will determine whether the ceasefire advances into the planned second phase or stalls further.
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