Israel to send delegation to Qatar’s capital Doha today to advance negotiations for renewing Gaza ceasefire

Israel will send a delegation to Qatar’s capital Doha today to advance negotiations for renewing the ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli hostages held by Palestinian armed group Hamas. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, in a statement, said Tel Aviv has accepted the invitation of the mediating countries, backed by the US. Earlier on Saturday, Hamas said there were positive signs regarding negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

 

Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou in a press statement said the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators are ongoing to finalise the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and initiate negotiations for its second phase, with positive indicators in that direction. 

Over the past week, Israel cut off



all supplies to Gaza and its more than two million people as it has pressed Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for an extension of the first phase, which ended last weekend, and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.

 

Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and bodies of 34 others. However, the Palestinian group said, the move will affect the remaining hostages as well. The first phase allowed the return of 25 living hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The ceasefire has paused the deadliest and most destructive fighting ever between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Hamas-led terrorist attack on southern Israel on 7th of October, 2023.