Israel and Hamas to hold indirect ceasefire talks in Qatar
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Israel to send delegation for indirect talks with Hamas on Sunday
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed a negotiating team to travel to Qatar on Sunday for talks with Hamas. The proposal reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire, the release, in five stages, of 10 Israeli live hostages, and the handover of 18 hostage bodies. Israel was informed on Saturday evening that Hamas demanded changes to the proposal, which are “unacceptable to Israel” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff discussed the developments of the Gaza ceasefire negotiations in a phone call. The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,330 Palestinians.
JERUSALEM/CAIRO – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed a negotiating team to travel to Qatar on Sunday for talks with Hamas on a ceasefire-hostages deal, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement Saturday night.
After assessing the situation, Israel accepted the invitation for close talks and continued negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza based on the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to, according to the statement.
The proposal reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire, the release, in five stages, of 10 Israeli live hostages, and the handover of 18 hostage bodies, as well as the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Meanwhile, the statement said that Israel was informed on Saturday evening that Hamas demanded changes to the proposal, which are “unacceptable to Israel.”
ALSO READ: Hamas says delivered ‘positive response’ on Gaza ceasefire plan
Israel’s state-owned Kan TV News reported that the changes demanded by Hamas concern guarantees regarding a quick transition to negotiations to end the war, the inclusion of Türkiye among the guarantor countries of the agreement, and details related to the distribution of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of Israeli military forces from the Gaza Strip.
On Friday, Hamas said in a statement that it has delivered a “positive” response to mediators over a Gaza ceasefire proposal, adding it is “seriously prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework.”
Also on Saturday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff discussed the developments of the Gaza ceasefire negotiations in a phone call.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that the two sides discussed preparations for holding indirect meetings between the concerned parties to reach an agreement.
During the phone call, Abdelatty addressed the ongoing preparations for holding an international conference on early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza once a ceasefire is reached, according to a statement by the ministry.
READ MORE: Sources: At least 80 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza
For his part, Witkoff commended Egypt’s continuous efforts to facilitate a ceasefire in Gaza and its role in supporting security and stability in the region.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza, launched in October 2023 following a deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,330 Palestinians. A recently proposed 60-day truce, supported by Washington, Cairo, and Doha, aims to halt the fighting and lay the groundwork for a lasting ceasefire
#Ynet: “Israel to send delegation to Qatar to negotiate deal with Hamas”
The Israeli authorities have decided to send a delegation to Qatar to hold indirect talks with the Palestinian Hamas movement. Hamas confirmed that it had responded positively to the proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“A decision has been made to send an Israeli delegation to the mediation talks to be held in the Qatari capital, Doha,” the portal wrote.
Earlier, Hamas confirmed that it had responded positively to the proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and was ready to begin negotiations.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati announced that Cairo, together with other mediators, is working on a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, during which the release of Israeli hostages is expected.
Israel to Send Delegation to Qatar for Talks on Gaza Truce
Israel says it will send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for talks on a Gaza cease-fire. The Israeli prime minister’s office says Hamas has requested amendments to the proposal. The proposal calls for a 60-day truce during which hostages would be swapped for prisoners.
On Friday night, Hamas delivered its formal response to the cease-fire framework, which it said was “characterized as being positive,” and added that it was prepared to start new talks about how to put it into effect.
The Israeli prime minister’s office said late on Saturday that Hamas had requested amendments to the proposal that were “unacceptable to Israel.” Nonetheless, it added, Israel would send a negotiating team for talks in Qatar, which has been brokering the indirect contacts between Israel and Hamas.
Under the latest proposal, the sides would first observe a 60-day truce during which hostages would be swapped for Palestinian prisoners and Israeli troops would withdraw to agreed lines, according to people familiar with the talks, who spoke anonymously to discuss sensitive issues. Mediators would then use the pause to negotiate a pact that would end the war.