Storyline: Hamas still seeks U.S. and Israeli guarantees of a permanent end to the war, stating that this remains the main sticking point in the negotiations so far. The statement came as the second day of indirect Gaza ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, concluded on Tuesday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. During the talks, the two sides focused on core issues, including the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of both Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners. The talks began on Monday, aiming to implement the 20-point peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which Hamas has recently accepted in principle. Hamas senior official Khalil al-Hayya, who is leading the Hamas delegation, said after the second day of talks with Israel that their discussions were focused on "responsible negotiations to achieve a ceasefire." He highlighted that the main goal is to end the conflict and facilitate the exchange of detainees from both sides. Hamas is looking to establish a mechanism for a lasting ceasefire and wants a concrete commitment from Israel not to restart hostilities, he said. According to sources, Hamas is insisting that the release of Israeli captives be linked to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces. They propose that the last captive be freed simultaneously with Israel's complete withdrawal. The 20-point peace plan previously linked Israel's complete withdrawal with Hamas's disarmament. However, Hamas has explicitly revised this demand, rejecting Israel's proposal for a phased withdrawal. Moreover, Hamas is urging the international community to enhance oversight of both a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza and Israel's full withdrawal. As of now, Israel has not revealed any details about the negotiations. Qatar, Türkiye, and the United States have sent delegations to Sharm el-Sheikh, with all parties scheduled to continue talks on Wednesday. According to media reports, the U.S. involvement in the discussion is intended to pressure both sides to speed up the negotiations and quickly reach a ceasefire agreement. However, sources close to the talks pointed out that while the U.S. 20-point plan addresses many issues - such as withdrawal, the exchange of captives, and post-war governance - it sidesteps some key questions and lacks detailed, practical solutions for implementation. Trump on Tuesday said that the next 48 hours are crucial for reaching an agreement between Israel and Palestine. During a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday, Trump stated that serious negotiations are taking place regarding Gaza. He expressed hope that peace in the Middle East is possible and mentioned that they are very close to reaching an agreement on the matter. If a deal is made, he assured that they would do everything in their power to ensure that all parties follow it. Tuesday also marked the second anniversary of the latest round of conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began on Oct. 7, 2023. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 67,000 Palestinians, caused massive destruction to Gaza's infrastructure, and created a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and famine in the besieged enclave. Shotlist: Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt - Oct 7, 2025: 1. Various of exterior of International Congress Center; vehicles passing by 2. Various of traffic Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Sept 15, 2025: 3. Al-Ghafri Tower collapsing in attack, thick smoke 4. Crowd near collapsed building Gaza Strip - Sept 25, 2025: 5. Various of destroyed buildings, rubble Gaza Strip - Recent: 6. Various of tents FILE: Tel Aviv, Israel - June 2021: 7. National flags of Israel FILE: Israel - Nov 1, 2022: 8. Israeli Parliament Knesset building FILE: Tel Aviv, Israel - April 7-8, 2019: 9. City view, national flag of Israel on building FILE: Washington D.C., USA - Oct 2024: 10. Various of White House, U.S. national flag [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]