Hamas ready to resume 'indirect negotiations' as mediators Qatar and Egypt ramp up efforts
Hamas on Sunday expressed readiness for an immediate round of fresh truce talks after the last attempt ended in stalemate.
The Palestinian militant group confirmed its willingness to resume discussions, after renewed diplomatic efforts by Qatar and Egypt.
'The movement affirms its readiness to immediately begin a round of indirect negotiations to reach an agreement on the points of contention,' the group said.
This comes as Qatar and Egypt, who have long acted as key intermediaries in the conflict, announced they would ramp up their coordination with the United States in a bid to break the current deadlock. In a joint statement, the two countries said, 'Qatar and Egypt, in coordination with the United States of America, affirm their intention to intensify efforts to overcome the obstacles facing the negotiations.'
They added that they were working towards a 60-day temporary truce as a step towards a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza strip.
Despite months of mediation between Hamas, Israel, and international stakeholders, talks have repeatedly collapsed. A previous two-month ceasefire brokered late last year allowed for the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. However, that truce broke down in March, prompting Israel to resume and later intensify its military campaign in Gaza.
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On Saturday, Hamas said it had responded 'positively' to the latest US-backed proposal, but sought several changes. A senior Hamas official earlier told the AP that the group's amendments focused on American guarantees, the timing of hostage releases, delivery of aid, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Hamas proposed the handover of 10 living hostages, along with the bodies of 18 others, in return for a specified number of Palestinian prisoners.
The group said the ultimate goal of the proposal is a permanent ceasefire, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops, and uninterrupted humanitarian aid.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, more than 4,100 people have been killed since Israel resumed its assault on 18 March. That brings the overall death toll in Gaza since the conflict began to 54,418, the majority of whom are civilians.
The war was triggered by Hamas's deadly cross-border attack on Israel in October 2023, which left 1,218 people dead, also mostly civilians, and saw militants take 251 hostages. The Israeli military says 57 captives remain in Gaza, of whom 34 are believed to be dead.
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