Israel is aiming to prolong the initial stage of the ceasefire agreement amid ongoing hostilities with Hamas in Gaza. Reports indicate that Israel is ready to resume combat if vital discussions fail to yield progress this week.

According to Israel’s Kan Radio and the daily newspaper Ma’ariv, informal negotiations are currently taking place to extend the initial 42-day ceasefire period, which is set to expire on Saturday. Formal, internationally mediated discussions regarding the implementation of the second phase—entailing a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian territories—were originally slated to start weeks ago but have faced numerous delays as the tenuous truce continues to encounter multiple challenges.

An extension of the first stage would involve additional hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian detainees; however, Israeli officials express doubts about the feasibility of this plan.

The ceasefire currently finds itself at a standstill, coinciding with the planned release of four Israeli corpses on Thursday, following Israel’s decision to delay the release of 600 Palestinians over the past weekend. This postponement seems to have been influenced by a video released by Hamas that showed two hostages forced to witness the release of other captives. Such portrayals, coupled with the group’s public treatment of hostages during handover ceremonies, have provoked significant outrage among the Israeli populace.

Hamas has declared that it will not partake in any negotiations until the 600 delayed Palestinian releases are fulfilled, thereby intensifying pressure on mediators to address this latest impasse before the forthcoming release of the bodies on Thursday, just two days prior to the expiration of the first stage. The group has suggested its willingness to consider a short extension of this initial phase to facilitate ongoing aid delivery to the area and to keep discussions regarding the second stage active.

According to reports from AP on Tuesday, Egypt, a central mediator in the negotiations, has insisted that discussions for an extension of the first phase must coincide with the commencement of second-stage talks.

Steve Witkoff, who previously served as the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, is returning to the region on Wednesday. In a CNN interview over the weekend, he expressed his hopes for extending the initial stage to allow for adequate time to negotiate the second stage.

The second phase of the agreement, whose length remains uncertain, entails a total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, effectively concluding the ongoing conflict, and initiating discussions about the region’s future governance. Initial steps towards reconstruction are anticipated in the third stage; however, there are considerable gaps between the parties regarding Gaza’s future direction.

Hamas has indicated its readiness to relinquish control of the Gaza Strip to other Palestinian factions, yet its leadership is resolute in refusing to enter into exile. On the other hand, Israel maintains its position that neither Hamas nor the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority will be allowed to govern the territory post-conflict.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu articulated Israel’s willingness to resume military actions in Gaza “at any moment” and affirmed the commitment to achieve the war’s objectives “through negotiation or alternative means.”