Doha negotiations to foster peace between Israel and Hamas through the Gaza ceasefire agreement resumed today, even as Israeli operation continues with full force in the Palestinian enclave.
Peace talks began on Thursday with a hope to hammer a deal acceptable to both the warring factions, Qatari and US officials said.
A US official briefed on the discussions in Doha, who declined to be identified told the news agency Reuters, that Thursday’s talks were “constructive.”
“This is vital work.The remaining obstacles can be overcome, and we must bring this process to a close,” US national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House.
Meanwhile, Gaza health officials reported separately on Thursday that the death toll there had surpassed 40,000 people after more than 10 months of fighting.
Talks involving CIA Director William Burns commenced in Doha, Qatar, aiming to end a war that has devastated Gaza, displaced its population, and caused a severe humanitarian crisis.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, “Today is a promising start,” but noted that “there remains a lot of work to do.” Kirby confirmed that the talks are expected to continue on Friday.
Hamas official Osama Hamdan stated that the group did not participate in Thursday’s talks but was prepared to join the indirect negotiations if they resulted in new commitments from Israel. Hamdan emphasized that Hamas demands the implementation of a truce plan proposed in late May by US President Joe Biden.
“If the mediators succeed in forcing the [Israeli] occupation to agree, we would, but so far there’s nothing new,” Hamdan told AFP.
He added that Hamas would not engage in prolonged negotiations that “give Netanyahu more time to kill the Palestinian people.”
The only truce thus far occurred in November when Gaza militants released 105 hostages taken during the October 7 attack on Israel in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel triggered the current war, resulting in 1,198 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Militants also seized 251 people, of whom 111 are still held in Gaza, including 39 whom the military says are dead.
Peace talks began on Thursday with a hope to hammer a deal acceptable to both the warring factions, Qatari and US officials said.
A US official briefed on the discussions in Doha, who declined to be identified told the news agency Reuters, that Thursday’s talks were “constructive.”
“This is vital work.The remaining obstacles can be overcome, and we must bring this process to a close,” US national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House.
Meanwhile, Gaza health officials reported separately on Thursday that the death toll there had surpassed 40,000 people after more than 10 months of fighting.
Talks involving CIA Director William Burns commenced in Doha, Qatar, aiming to end a war that has devastated Gaza, displaced its population, and caused a severe humanitarian crisis.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, “Today is a promising start,” but noted that “there remains a lot of work to do.” Kirby confirmed that the talks are expected to continue on Friday.
Hamas official Osama Hamdan stated that the group did not participate in Thursday’s talks but was prepared to join the indirect negotiations if they resulted in new commitments from Israel. Hamdan emphasized that Hamas demands the implementation of a truce plan proposed in late May by US President Joe Biden.
“If the mediators succeed in forcing the [Israeli] occupation to agree, we would, but so far there’s nothing new,” Hamdan told AFP.
He added that Hamas would not engage in prolonged negotiations that “give Netanyahu more time to kill the Palestinian people.”
The only truce thus far occurred in November when Gaza militants released 105 hostages taken during the October 7 attack on Israel in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel triggered the current war, resulting in 1,198 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Militants also seized 251 people, of whom 111 are still held in Gaza, including 39 whom the military says are dead.