The deadline to kick off talks on extending Gaza’s ceasefire came and went Monday, leaving many wondering what’s next. Instead of sending a negotiating team, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C., preparing for a high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The ceasefire, which began over two weeks ago, is set to expire on March 1. According to the agreement, discussions about the next phase were supposed to start by Monday. However, Netanyahu’s office has stayed quiet about when or if a team will engage with Hamas, the Palestinian group controlling Gaza.

Meanwhile, Hamas is sending a delegation to Qatar and Egypt this week, but they’ve also remained tight-lipped about the deadline. Qatar’s prime minister, who’s been mediating the talks, admitted Sunday that details are still unclear, adding, “We hope to see some movement in the coming days.”

Netanyahu, however, seems focused on Washington. He’ll be the first foreign leader to meet formally with Trump since the president took office. The Israeli leader has emphasized that he believes the path forward lies in these talks, not in Doha or Cairo.

The current ceasefire has been a rare break in a conflict that’s dragged on for over a year. Since it began on January 19, Hamas has released 18 hostages, while Israel has freed 583 Palestinian detainees. The pause has also allowed aid to flow into Gaza and opened the Rafah crossing for evacuations.

But this fragile peace is at risk. The first phase of the truce was only meant to last 42 days, and negotiations for the next phase were supposed to start by Monday—16 days into the ceasefire. Netanyahu’s decision to prioritize his meeting with Trump breaks the agreed-upon timeline.

Experts and peace activists are raising alarms. Veteran Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin called Netanyahu’s move “a clear violation of the agreement,” arguing that it puts hostages at risk. Meanwhile, Trump’s recent suggestion that Palestinians should leave Gaza entirely has stirred controversy, with some Israeli officials applauding the idea.

As the clock ticks, the future of the ceasefire remains uncertain. Will Netanyahu and Trump’s meeting pave the way for progress—or deepen the crisis? The world is watching.

Kareem Khadder, Mike Schwartz, and Eyad Kourdi contributed to this report.