March 1: First Phase of Ceasefire Agreement Ends The first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas ended without an agreement on the next steps.
The six-week phase allowed Hamas to release 33 Israeli prisoners, including eight who were dead. In return, Israel freed around 1,800 Palestinian detainees, including hundreds serving life sentences.
As the deadline passed, Israel sought an extension until mid-April, but Hamas insisted on moving to the next phase, which would end the war and force Israel's military to withdraw from Gaza.
March 9: U.S. Holds Secret Direct Talks with Hamas For the first time, the Trump administration engaged in secret direct negotiations with Hamas without Israel’s involvement. U.S. envoy Adam Boehler led talks in Doha to secure the release of American soldier prisoners in Gaza and explore a long-term truce. This marked a significant shift in U.S. policy, which had previously designated Hamas a terrorist organization in 1997. March 14: Netanyahu’s Office Sabotages U.S.-Led Deal Reports surfaced revealing that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office actively worked to derail the U.S. deal to secure the release of American soldier prisoners. Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Netanyahu’s inner circle leaked details of the negotiations and pressured the Trump administration to remove Boehler. An Israeli insider admitted, “We were shocked and never expected the Americans to go this far.” The leaks led to Boehler’s dismissal, with some U.S. officials accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing political interests over a prisoner deal. March 14: U.S. Envoy Proposes New Ceasefire Deal Steven Witkoff, Boehler’s replacement, traveled to Doha with a new proposal. The plan included:- The release of five living Israeli prisoners on the first day.
- A 50-day extension of the ceasefire while negotiating a permanent truce and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
- Resumption of humanitarian aid and UN operations in Gaza.
- Guarantees from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar that phase two negotiations would happen.
- Agreeing to release the five Israeli prisoners as proposed.
- Demanding immediate talks on phase two upon their release.
- Seeking clarity on humanitarian aid, including the entry of caravans, bulldozers, and trucks into Gaza.
- Insisting that Israel fulfill all remaining phase one obligations, including withdrawing from the Philadelphia corridor.
- The release of 11 live prisoners and 16 bodies instead of five prisoners.
- A revised prisoner exchange ratio, offering 10 Palestinian detainees for each live prisoner instead of the previous 50:1 ratio.
- Limiting the ceasefire extension to 40 days.
- Imposing restrictions on humanitarian aid distribution.
- No commitments on withdrawing from the Philadelphia corridor or allowing reconstruction equipment into Gaza.
