**Peace Talks Between Israel and Hamas Resume Amid Ongoing Conflict**

CAIRO (AP) — Peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed on Tuesday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the militant group’s surprise attack on Israel that ignited the war. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The second day of indirect negotiations at the Red Sea resort is centered on a peace plan proposed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump, which aims to bring an end to the war.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, told Egypt’s Qahera TV that Hamas is seeking guarantees of a lasting ceasefire as part of any agreement to secure the release of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 of whom are believed by Israel to still be alive. This appeared to be al-Hayya’s first public appearance since an Israeli strike in Qatar last month targeted him and other top Hamas leaders, killing six people including his son and office manager.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted Trump’s plan, which calls for the immediate release of the hostages. The plan also envisions Gaza being placed under international governance and for Hamas to be disarmed—two elements the militant group has yet to accept.

Netanyahu’s office described the talks on Tuesday as “cautiously optimistic,” portraying them as technical negotiations over a plan both sides have already approved.

The proposal has garnered widespread international support. Trump told reporters on Monday that he believed there was a “really good chance” for achieving a lasting deal.

In a sign that the talks are gaining momentum, Qatar announced that its prime minister and top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, would travel to Egypt on Wednesday to join the negotiations. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, along with Netanyahu’s senior adviser Ron Dermer, are also expected to participate.

### Trump’s Peace Plan

The proposed plan envisions Israel withdrawing its troops from Gaza after Hamas disarms. It calls for the establishment of an international security force, with Gaza placed under international governance. Trump and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair are proposed to oversee this arrangement.

On Tuesday, Hamas reaffirmed its longstanding demands for a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza but did not address the disarmament condition.

### The Conflict’s Toll

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 hostages. Most of these hostages have since been released through ceasefires or negotiated deals.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in at least 67,160 Palestinian deaths and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but reports that approximately half of the deaths were women and children. It is part of the Hamas-run government and, supported by the United Nations and many independent experts, is considered a reliable source for wartime casualty figures.

An increasing number of experts, including those appointed by a U.N. body, have accused Israel’s offensive in Gaza of amounting to genocide—a charge Israel vehemently denies.

### Memorials and Continuing Violence

On Tuesday, thousands of Israelis gathered at locations attacked by Hamas two years ago t
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