Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo as Netanyahu says partial truce not an option

Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya and his delegation arrived in Cairo Tuesday evening, Egypt’s state-affiliated al-Qahera News channel reported, while from Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu told local media that a partial cease-fire deal would not be on the table.

The Palestinian negotiators will begin holding talks with Egyptian mediators on the framework, which Qatari and Egyptian officials have been drafting this past week. The renewed push for a cease-fire comes as Israel prepares for its phased occupation of Gaza amid global outcry.

The Israeli plan is expected to take some time to launch, leaving room for a potential cease-fire, which White House envoy Steve Witkoff continues to push for, having just met with the Qatari prime minister over the weekend to deliver Trump's message urging an "all or nothing" truce that ends the war for good.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said that Cairo, working in coordination with Qatar and the U.S., is seeking a “comprehensive agreement,” a sentiment apparently echoed by Netanyahu, who said he thinks the possibility of a partial cease-fire deal with Hamas “is behind us,” Times of Israel reported, citing comments during an interview with the i24 television channel.

“You heard President Trump,” Netanyahu said when asked if the possibility of forging a partial cease-fire and hostage release deal is still open. “I think it’s behind us.”

“We’ve made all kinds of attempts,” he says, without elaborating. “We went a long way. It became clear to us that they’re just leading us astray.”

Previous rounds of negotiations stuck on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory, which Israel now plans to completely occupy. Domestically, Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure from his government and the public to end the war.

“In any case, a lot of hostages, both living and dead, will remain in their hands,” he says, appearing to refer to a past proposal for a partial deal, which would have secured the release of 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 more. “I want everyone — both the living and the fallen,” he said.