Hamas and U.S. officers have held direct talks in Doha in latest days, two senior members of the Palestinian group informed Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday, with one citing “progress” towards a Gaza truce.
“A series of direct discussions took place in Doha between Hamas leadership and U.S. representatives, focusing on a Gaza cease-fire, a prisoner swap, and the delivery of humanitarian aid,” one senior Hamas official mentioned, including that negotiations are “still ongoing.”
A second official confirmed indicators of progress, significantly concerning help entry to Gaza and the potential change of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, together with discussions involving U.S.-Israeli captive Edan Alexander.
The second official additionally reported progress “on the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.”
Hamas continues to carry 58 hostages taken throughout the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, incursion on southern Israel that triggered the warfare.
Israel ended the final cease-fire, which lasted two months, on March 18, launching a serious offensive in Gaza and ramping up its bombardment of the territory.
It has additionally lower off all help to Gaza, saying it might strain Hamas to launch the remaining hostages.
Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, have taken place for the reason that early months of the warfare with out yielding a decision.
Washington had for many years refused to have interaction straight with Hamas earlier than doing so publicly for the primary time in March.
Hamas has continued to insist on a deal that ends the warfare and, on April 18, rejected an Israeli proposal for a 45-day truce and hostage-prisoner change.
Hamas’ 2023 assault on southern Israel resulted within the deaths of 1,218 folks.
The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza mentioned Sunday that a minimum of 2,720 folks have been killed since Israel resumed its marketing campaign, bringing the general demise toll for the reason that warfare started to 52,829.
Source: www.dailysabah.com