After three days of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Doha, no significant progress has been made, and both Qatar and Israel have indicated that more time is necessary. Meanwhile, residents of Gaza continue to endure the hardships caused by ongoing bombing and a blockade.
US envoy Steve Witkoff expressed his hope yesterday for a ceasefire agreement lasting 60 days to be reached by the end of the week.
He stated, “We are aiming for lasting peace in Gaza, and what we seek is a genuine resolution to the conflict.” A new round of negotiations began on Sunday, following the delivery of a fresh proposal to both parties, which reportedly stems from Witkoff’s suggestions.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid Al-Ansari remarked, “I cannot provide a specific timeframe currently, but I can say it will take some time.”
A source familiar with the ceasefire negotiations indicated that “there has been no breakthrough so far,” adding to the AFP news agency, “discussions are ongoing.”
The source also confirmed that the talks are focused on exploring mechanisms for the Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the introduction of humanitarian aid, and establishing a ceasefire. The negotiations have been described as “challenging,” with hopes that the US side will pressure Israel to agree to a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange.
Trump and Netanyahu
Amid the discussions in Doha, US President Donald Trump expressed his confidence in the possibility of reaching an agreement.
He noted the situation in Gaza is tragic and pledged to work towards a “definitive solution” to the conflict. Early yesterday, Trump held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In response to a question about whether the ongoing battles in Gaza would hinder the talks for a ceasefire, Trump told reporters at the White House, “They (Hamas) want to meet, and they want this ceasefire.”
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt informed reporters that Witkoff would travel to Doha this week to engage in the discussions.
Continued Bombing
In the meantime, 41 Palestinians lost their lives, and many were injured during ongoing Israeli airstrikes in the region yesterday. Among the deceased were six individuals targeted in an Israeli strike that hit a group of Palestinians in the Al-Rimal neighborhood in western Gaza City.
Additionally, 12 Palestinians were killed, including six former prisoners released in 2011, and others were injured by an Israeli drone strike on displaced persons’ tents in the Sanabel camp near the Kuwaiti hospital in the Mawasi area of western Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Israeli military officials acknowledged that five soldiers were killed and 14 others wounded in northern Gaza during one of the heaviest assaults faced by Israeli forces in the area. They noted that the soldiers, aged between 20 and 28, “fell during combat in northern Gaza” on Monday.
Israeli military correspondents reported that the soldiers were killed and injured in a roadside bomb ambush coinciding with an attack involving anti-tank missiles in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, and while evacuating the wounded, they came under fire.
Reuters reported that Israeli officials have indicated that while it is possible to bridge the gaps between the two sides, it may take more than a few days to reach an agreement.