Tel Aviv: An Israeli political source familiar with negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza said in a report that Tel Aviv is, for the first time, conducting talks with Hamas on the possibility of ending the war.
According to TRTworld.com, this negotiation is different from the ones that brought about the previous deals. The source mentioned that while earlier discussions focused on the release of hostages, the current talks aim to address the end of the war, making it a complex issue with interconnected elements.
Israeli media outlets, including the public broadcaster KAN, reported that Israel is contemplating sending a second delegation to Doha. The move is conditional upon the Palestinian side's agreement to discuss the details of the proposals, which are being mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US. The proposals include a 60-day ceasefire, during which 10 living hostages and 18 bodies would be released, with final negotiations on ending the war to resume during the truce.
Despite existing gaps in areas like aid delivery mechanisms and Israeli troop deployment, Israeli sources view the deal as feasible, as reported by the Israeli broadcaster. Additionally, US President Donald Trump announced that 10 hostages in Gaza would be released soon, although he did not provide further details.
Over the last 21 months, Israel and Hamas have engaged in multiple rounds of indirect negotiations to reach a ceasefire and carry out prisoner exchanges. Two partial agreements were reached in November 2023 and January, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu avoided finalizing the latest agreement, leading to the resumption of the war on March 18.
Hamas has consistently expressed its willingness to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for ending the conflict and a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued its invasion of Gaza, resulting in the death of nearly 59,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, and causing widespread destruction and humanitarian crises in the enclave.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.