Jerusalem – Israel has announced it will send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for proximity talks with Hamas regarding the latest proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.
The decision was confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, stating he accepted the invitation despite what he described as “unacceptable” changes requested by Hamas to the plan presented by mediators from Qatar, the US, and Egypt.
On Friday night, Hamas had indicated it delivered a “positive response” to the proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and expressed readiness for negotiations. However, a Palestinian official stated that Hamas sought amendments, including a guarantee that hostilities would not resume if talks on a permanent truce were to fail.
Violence Continues in Gaza
Meanwhile, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported on Sunday that 80 people killed in Israeli attacks arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours. Seven individuals, including a doctor and his three children, were reportedly killed when tents in the al-Mawasi area were bombed on Saturday, according to a hospital in nearby Khan Younis.
Additionally, two American employees of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid distribution organisation backed by Israel and the US, were wounded in what the organisation described as a grenade attack at its site in the Khan Younis area. Both the Israeli and US governments have blamed Hamas for the incident, though Hamas has not commented.
Diplomatic Efforts Amidst Skepticism
Late on Saturday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement reiterating that “the changes that Hamas is seeking to make” to the ceasefire proposal were “unacceptable to Israel.” However, it added: “In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages – on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to – be continued. The negotiating team will leave tomorrow.”
Earlier, an Israeli official had briefed local media, suggesting there was “something to work with” in Hamas’s response. Mediators are expected to face significant challenges in Doha to bridge the remaining gaps during the indirect talks.
US President Donald Trump has publicly expressed optimism about the chances of an agreement in recent days. On Friday, prior to being briefed on Hamas’s full response, he described the group’s positive stance as “good” and suggested there “could be a Gaza deal next week.” Trump is scheduled to meet Netanyahu on Monday, and a significant breakthrough in the talks would undoubtedly be a welcome announcement for him.
Calls for Hostage Release
The families of Israeli hostages and Palestinians in Gaza are once again anticipating developments. Relatives of hostages and thousands of their supporters gathered at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, calling for a comprehensive deal to bring all captives home.
Among the speakers was Yechiel Yehoud, whose daughter Arbel Yehoud was released during the last ceasefire – which Trump helped broker before he took office and which collapsed when Israel resumed its offensive in March. “President Trump, thank you for bringing our Arbel back to us. We will be indebted to you for the rest of our lives. Please don’t stop, please make a ‘big beautiful hostages deal’,” he pleaded.
Add Comment