Jerusalem
Israel will dispatch a delegation to Doha today (Monday) to negotiate a renewed Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced.
Israel has accepted an invitation from mediating nations, backed by the US, to advance talks. Hamas also signaled "positive indicators" toward a ceasefire agreement, according to its spokesperson.
Over the past week, Israel pressed Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in exchange for an extended truce. Hamas is believed to hold 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others. The previous ceasefire allowed the return of 25 hostages and the remains of eight individuals in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli forces have pulled back to buffer zones, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza. However, Israel has cut off supplies to Gaza, affecting its over two million residents. Hamas warned that the blockade endangers the hostages.
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministers from Muslim nations rejected US President Donald Trump’s calls to relocate Gaza’s population. Meeting in Saudi Arabia, they supported a reconstruction plan led by Egypt and other Arab states, while proposing an administrative committee under the Palestinian Authority to govern postwar Gaza. Israel has opposed PA involvement.
Western nations, including France, Germany, and the UK, welcomed the Arab initiative, emphasizing that "Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel anymore."
On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinians in Rafah, citing an attempted drone attack. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 48,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict began, while Israel estimates 18,000 Hamas fighters killed.