Israel and Hamas to resume Gaza talks in Qatar on Friday - CNN

According to sources, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold a meeting on Friday to discuss the “mandate of the delegation." His press secretary confirmed this.

Netanyahu's office stated that professional-level representatives from Israel's Security Agency (ISA), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service, Mossad, will travel to Doha, Qatar’s capital, to participate in the talks.

Hamas representatives also confirmed that indirect negotiations will resume in Doha on Friday. They emphasized “its seriousness” to reach a deal.

Hamas added that this round of negotiations will focus on a deal that leads to a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the details of its implementation. They also stressed the importance of returning displaced persons to their homes in all areas of Gaza from which they were displaced.

However, Qatar has not officially confirmed the resumption of talks in its capital.

Israel-Hamas peace agreement proposal

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, began in May 2024. However, they have been at an impasse for several months. As a result, the agreement remains in limbo.

In late May, US President Joe Biden proposed a three-stage plan that combined the release of hostages held in Gaza with a "full and complete ceasefire."

The first stage would last six weeks and involve the "withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas of Gaza" and "the release of a number of hostages, including women, elderly, the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners."

A diplomatic source familiar with the matter told CNN in December that the deal largely aligns with the proposal put forward by Biden.

“What has changed is that Israeli forces are likely to stay in Gaza temporarily,” the source said.

The changes, according to the source, concern the first phase of the agreement regarding Israeli troops in the strip of land along the border between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, and the area crossing this strip, known as the Netzarim Corridor.

In August, the talks broke down due to Israel's demand to keep its troops along the Philadelphi Corridor and Hamas's insistence on their withdrawal.

In November, Qatar announced it was suspending its role as mediator in the negotiations due to the parties' failure to reach an agreement.

Last week, both sides blamed each other for the deadlock in the talks. Hamas claimed Israel had introduced "new issues and conditions" regarding the terms of the agreement, while Netanyahu accused Palestinian militants of "reneging on understandings."

In December, sources from both Israel and Hamas expressed cautious optimism about the prospects for reaching a deal.

Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of hostages, welcomed the news of the resumption of negotiations but called for urgency.

"We cannot miss this window of opportunity! The 100 hostages being held in the depths of Hamas tunnels in Gaza don’t have time for delays in the negotiations," forum representatives said on social media.

Additionally, on January 1, Hamas militants launched rockets from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel.

Later, Israel threatened to strike Gaza with powerful attacks if the militants did not release Israeli hostages. The hostages have been held in the strip for 14 months. Israel also demanded that the militants cease rocket attacks on the country.