Doha/Riyadh Joint Meeting for July 7, 2025.
Diplomatic momentum is building for the latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks held in Doha, Qatar, with Saudi media outlets reporting an overall “positive atmosphere”, according to reports by Al-Arabiya and I24news.tv.
Mediated by Qatar and Egypt with United States mediation and facilitation, these negotiations mark an attempt at ending Israel-Hamas conflict for good after 21 months of fighting.
Atmosphere and Process
Representatives from Israel and Hamas convened separately within the same complex, communicating through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. On Monday afternoon after initial talks earlier in the week, a second session kicked off to address key gaps over humanitarian aid delivery, hostage exchanges, troop withdrawal timelines and withdrawal timelines (see: APnews.com and The Guardian for coverage), for example reuters.com +2, I24news.tv +2 and Reuter’s +2).
Israeli sources do not believe negotiations have reached a deadlock, instead pointing towards steady progress toward hostage returns and shared goals of mutual interest. On that point, Israeli sources – The Guardian.com. +15, Aa.com.tr +15 and Tass.com +15 are all reported.
Hamas confirmed they responded positively to a U.S. proposal and it will soon enter discussions as to the framework under discussion (NHPost/Reuters).
Donald Trump, currently mediating negotiations between parties involved, has proposed a 60-day ceasefire as an initial framework to reach an agreement. This proposal includes:
Phased release of at least 10 living hostages and 18 bodies of deceased captives.
Israeli officials announced the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel.
Israel announced troop withdrawals to buffer zones along the borders between Gaza and Egypt.
Scaling-up humanitarian aid overseen by UN agencies
Reuter.com/APNews.com +15
Hamas has indicated its willingness to negotiate implementation mechanisms–perhaps aligning with demands surrounding disarmament and leadership exile–but remains demanding concrete guarantees on permanent conflict cessation and phased pullback of Israeli forces (nypost.com/news/4082077 and medialine/medialine.org/5241683/reuters/4082075/7).
Saudi Role and Regional Stakes
Saudi Arabia has reiterated that reaching an accord for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza remains its top diplomatic goal, insisting that any attempt at normalization between it and Israel cannot advance without tangible progress there (reuters.com).
Riyadh’s position echoes wider Gulf Arab rhetoric: human rights should serve as the basis of any regional normalization process.
Saudi media coverage–particularly Al-Arabiya–has painted Doha as a constructive environment, emphasizing diplomatic coordination among U.S., Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia as well as pressure from both Israel and Hamas to compromise. But challenges still remain.
Even with its positive tone, many contentious issues persist:
Hostage Release Details: Hamas still maintains reservations while hardline factions in Israel refuse any troop withdrawal or concession until there is greater disarmament or long-term security guarantees in place (APNews.com +6, Reuter’s +6 and Ynetnews +6)
Aid Access: Establishing secure humanitarian corridors through Rafah and northern Gaza is central to meeting both Palestinian demands and regional pressure, according to AP News (http://apnews.com, +3) en.wikipedia, +3, The Guardian (theguardian.com & +3)
Future Governance: Hamas is demanding guarantees on its role in post-ceasefire governance of Gaza while Israeli leaders want clear disarmament commitments and the pledge not to use Gaza as a staging ground – all terms yet unresolved.
Perspective / Agenda Netanyahu will travel to Washington for talks with President Trump, underscoring once again how deeply embedded Gaza truce discussions are within U.S.-Israel relations (apnews.com, reuters).
President Donald Trump plans to present the deal directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with hopes of reaching an agreement before the end of this week, according to apnews.com.
Saudi Arabia continues to position itself as an influential stakeholder, emphasizing that normalization with Israel relies heavily on making tangible ceasefire progress a priority. By framing negotiations as positively charged, the kingdom gains diplomatic leverage that may influence outcomes (reuters.com).
Conclusion
With optimism at an all-time high and key challenges looming, the Doha ceasefire talks represent a pivotal moment for Gaza. Saudi reports of “positive atmosphere” suggest momentum may be building, yet whether diplomacy can achieve significant breakthroughs such as hostage release, humanitarian access and troop pullback while setting the foundation for long-term peace remains unknown.
As negotiators prepare for further rounds this week, the world watches closely: diplomacy must deliver where arms have failed in delivering peace and tranquility.