Top officials join Israel-Hamas talks, signaling toughest issues in U.S. plan are on the table

U.S. President Donald Trump’s top adviser for the Middle East and other senior officials joined the third day of peace talks between Israel and Hamas in an Egyptian resort on Wednesday, a sign that negotiators aim to dive deeply into the toughest issues of an American plan to end the war in Gaza.

Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrived at Sharm el-Sheikh for the discussions.

Hamas says it’s seeking firm guarantees from Trump and mediators that Israel won’t resume its military campaign in the Palestinian territory after the militant group releases all the remaining hostages.

All sides have expressed optimism for a deal to end the two-year war, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and most of the Gaza Strip destroyed. But key parts of the peace plan still haven’t been pinned down — including requirements that Hamas disarm, the timing and extent of an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza and the creation of an international body to run Gaza after Hamas steps down from power.