Gaza ceasefire talks resume Thursday, but with new demands and an assassination twist, Hamas and Israel are set to argue over proposals like it's a Black Friday sale.

Resuming on Thursday with mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S., the Gaza ceasefire talks aim to implement a U.S.-proposed truce plan, despite hit-and-miss cooperation. Complicating factors include the recent assassination of a Hamas leader, additional eleventh-hour demands from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the potential for Iranian retaliation. Real progress hinges on resolving sticky issues, such as the sequencing of hostage exchanges and control over Gaza’s southern border.

The high-stakes Gaza ceasefire talks are set to resume Thursday, but the negotiators might need more than a strong cup of coffee to navigate the complexities. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States will attend the discussions, aiming to put into effect a three-phase proposal submitted by US President Joe Biden in May. The ultimate goal is to secure a long-lasting truce between Hamas and Israel, but the road to peace is paved with hurdles that make it look like an obstacle course designed by a particularly sadistic gym teacher.

The first phase of the proposal involves the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, the release of hostages including women, the elderly, and wounded individuals, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and a temporary truce. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong. Turns out, everyone likes simplicity until it implies actual simplicity in matters as complicated as peace negotiations.

Once the temporary truce is in place, phase two aims to exchange all remaining living hostages, which includes male soldiers, culminating in a permanent end to the fighting. Or at least, that's the plan. Given the history of the conflict, permanently ending the fighting might be more challenging than getting a cat to enjoy a bath.

The final phase, phase three, envisages a major reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of any remains of hostages who have been killed. A somber but vital step toward normalcy, assuming the first two phases didn’t already trip over their untied shoelaces. However, reconstruction efforts might face the ultimate test given the ever-present tension and sporadic hostilities that have plagued the region.

The negotiations also have key sticking points that appear to be stickier than a toddler's hands after a candy binge. These include the sequencing of the hostage-prisoner exchange, the exact number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, and the precise nature of the Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu’s last-minute demands for greater security measures in northern Gaza and control over the Philadelphi corridor have added more complications to the already fraught discussions.

Both Hamas and Israel initially reacted positively to Biden's proposal—like children excited by the sight of a new toy. However, the devil, as always, is in the details. Since then, they have stumbled over finer points of implementation, resulting in yet more stalemate. If the proposal were a piece of Ikea furniture, the instructions would've been tossed in frustration by now.

As if the existing complexity wasn't enough, the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran has added another layer of difficulty to the negotiations. Yahya Sinwar, Haniyeh's replacement, is known for his resistance to external pressures, thanks to his underground base in Gaza. It's almost as if these talks needed any more plot twists to rival a thriller novel.

Further muddying the waters is the concern over potential Iranian retaliation for Haniyeh’s assassination. Though some sources view Iran's retaliation as unrelated to the Gaza ceasefire, the possibility of additional conflicts adds a layer of unpredictability akin to a blender without a lid. Against this backdrop, US officials are actively trying to dissuade Iran from launching an attack on Israel, emphasizing that the focus should remain on achieving a resolution in Gaza.

Hamas has expressed skepticism about the new round of negotiations, accusing Israel of stalling by adding new demands. In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's new conditions—including maintaining Israeli control over Gaza’s southern border with Egypt and imposing tighter restrictions on Palestinians' movements—have only fueled Hamas’s disbelief. Altogether, this gives the impression that each side is adding boulders to an already precarious bridge.

Adding a touch of theatrical irony to the proceedings, Hamas announced it would not attend the talks in Doha, citing distrust despite Qatar's assurances of Hamas representation. One might wonder if there's a special word in diplomatic parlance for a negotiation where one party doesn't actually show up, or perhaps this is just another ordinary day in the ongoing turmoil of Middle East diplomacy.

With the clock ticking and tensions higher than a giraffe's hat, the ceasefire talks will need to produce not just any progress, but tangible, sustainable outcomes. The overarching question remains—will this new round of talks bring hope, or will it be just another coffee break in the long, contentious history of Israeli-Palestinian relations? Only time and an improbable amount of diplomatic caffeine will tell.