Security officials involved in the recent hostage-release negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh said that a key change in the mediation format, involving Israeli and Hamas delegations and led by the United States with support from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, fundamentally altered the dynamics of the talks.In contrast to previous mediation efforts, the US brought all parties into a single hall, eliminating Hamas's ability to rely on its usual support structure during the proceedings. As a result, both