Ceasefire talks in Gaza resume, but without Hamas
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
International mediators conducted a new round of negotiations on Thursday aimed at ending the war between Israel and Hamas and securing the release of dozens of hostages. The potential agreement is seen as the best hope for resolving the regional conflict, according to AP and NPR.
The United States, Qatar, and Egypt met with the Israeli delegation in Qatar. Hamas, which did not directly participate, accused Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had US and international community support and to which Hamas had agreed.
A Hamas spokesperson told the American public broadcaster NPR that they would not participate in the negotiations since they had already presented their own peace proposal.
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby called the negotiations an important step and said they are expected to continue on Friday. He mentioned that much work remains, given the complexity of the agreement.
It is worth noting that in July, Hamas initially approved a US-backed proposal for a phased ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The group dropped its key demand that Israel completely cease the war.
The first version of the peace plan failed, mainly due to Israel's reluctance to halt military actions before eliminating the entire Hamas leadership.
