Sending a delegation to Qatar to continue Gaza ceasefire talks: Hamas
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Photo: AFP
Deir Al-Balah: A senior Hamas official speaking to AFP said that the group is expected to respond to Israel’s ceasefire proposal within the next two days. The official indicated that internal discussions are ongoing among Hamas leadership and other allied factions in order to formulate a unified position.
Separately, a Hamas representative mentioned that a delegation is heading to Qatar to continue indirect negotiations with Israel regarding a possible ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 38 people had died in the territory over the previous 24 hours.
A Hamas official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the sensitive talks, indicated that discussions in Cairo over the past several days have focused on the terms of a potential new ceasefire, including a proposal for Hamas to release between eight and ten hostages. However, the official noted that a key point of contention remains whether any agreement would include a full end to the war, AP reported.
The official also mentioned that further indirect talks are expected to take place in Qatar either later this week or early next week. As of now, Israeli and Qatari officials have not issued any public statements regarding the negotiations.
Israel and Hamas had reached a ceasefire agreement in January that lasted for eight weeks before Israel resumed bombardment last month. The truce was initially intended to pave the way for negotiations to end the conflict, but Israel resisted engaging in talks aimed at ending the war, insisting on defeating Hamas first.
Since the ceasefire broke down, hundreds of people have been killed in Gaza. In addition, Israel has restricted the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory and has taken control of significant areas along the coast in an effort to increase pressure on Hamas to accept terms more favourable to Israel, as reported by Reuters.
On Monday, the United Nations humanitarian office stated that conditions in Gaza may now be at their worst since Israel began its military response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, citing Israel's complete halt of supplies into the Gaza Strip since March 2.
