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Israel engages in ceasefire negotiations with Hamas amid escalating conflict

05 July 2024 10:47 (UTC +04:00)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized a delegation to engage in renewed negotiations with Hamas for a potential ceasefire and the release of hostages, APA reports citing CGTN.

The decision follows recent discussions with Qatari and Egyptian mediators and has received backing from the United States.

During a phone call on Thursday, President Joe Biden supported Netanyahu's decision to engage in talks, emphasizing the importance of reaching an agreement, according to a readout of the conversation issued by the White House. Mossad chief David Barnea will lead the Israeli delegation, scheduled to travel to Qatar to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.

Israeli officials have expressed optimism about the new Hamas proposal, describing it as the most promising since the conflict began nearly nine months ago.

Despite progress in negotiations, internal political challenges pose risks to the deal. Far-right elements within Netanyahu's coalition have threatened to withdraw support if the war concludes before their objectives are fully achieved. The Israeli response to the Hamas proposal, delivered through mediators, was notably different from previous instances during the nearly nine-month war in Gaza, where Israel had said the conditions attached by Hamas were not acceptable.

Hamas stated on Wednesday that it had consulted with the mediators about the proposed deal. "We exchanged some ideas with the mediator brothers to stop the aggression against our Palestinian people," the group said in a statement.

The potential ceasefire deal represents a critical juncture in the conflict, offering a glimmer of hope amid the devastation and ongoing hostilities. This development also marks a renewed attempt to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that broke out in early October 2023, which has claimed over 38,000 Palestinian lives according to Gaza health authorities.