Israeli negotiators head to Qatar for ceasefire talks, officials say

Israeli negotiators traveled to Qatar on Monday to take part in a new round of face-to-face talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants, a senior Israeli official and a spokesman said. other official who has been informed. about the negotiations.

The Israeli delegation’s trip to Doha, Qatar, comes after Israel and Hamas failed to reach an agreement ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began last week.

The Israeli delegation includes the head of Mossad, the foreign intelligence service; the director of the Shin Bet, the domestic security service; and a representative of the Israeli military, the Israeli official said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to communicate with the news media.

Representatives of Israel and Hamas negotiate indirectly through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. On Thursday, Hamas presented a new proposal that dropped a demand that Israel immediately agree to a permanent ceasefire in return for initiating an exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

For months, Hamas leaders have publicly called for a comprehensive ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected the demands and indicated they would only be open to a temporary pause.

Palestinians struggling with displacement and hunger have grown frustrated as Israel and Hamas have still not reached an agreement, and the hostages’ families have expressed concern about the fate of their relatives who spent months in captivity.