The White House: 'Promising start' in negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza
The new round of talks is taking place at the invitation of mediators Qatar**, the US, and Egypt. US CIA Director William Burns is expected to participate in the discussions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that his country will send the heads of its foreign and domestic intelligence agencies, Mossad and Shin Bet, David Barnea and Ronen Bar, to Doha. It was initially unclear whether the Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas would be represented.
A representative of the radical Palestinian organization Hamas, who wished to remain anonymous, told AFP that "negotiations with the mediators are ongoing and have even intensified in recent hours". Hamas wants "the Biden plan to be implemented, not just negotiations for the sake of negotiations," he said, referring to a proposal for a ceasefire presented by US President Joe Biden at the end of May.
Biden's multi-stage plan is the basis for the renewed talks. It initially calls for a six-week ceasefire, which could be extended for negotiations on a permanent end to the fighting. It also calls for the Israeli military to withdraw from populated areas of the Gaza Strip, and for Israeli hostages held by Hamas to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
US National Security Advisor Kirby described the start of the negotiations as a "promising beginning". Both sides have agreed to the framework of the agreement, and now it's about implementation. "Given the complexity of the agreement, we do not expect to reach a deal today," Kirby said in Washington. He expects the talks to continue on Friday.
The US, Egypt, and Qatar have been trying for months to achieve a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Biden had expressed the hope that an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip could also deter Iran from attacking Israel and prevent further escalation of the conflict in the region. Germany, France, and Britain have also recently increased pressure on the conflicting parties for a negotiated solution.
"We are at a crucial moment for global stability," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said at the start of the talks on Thursday. "The coming hours and days could decide the future of the Middle East," he continued. His French counterpart, Stéphane Séjourné, stressed after a meeting with Lebanese President Nabih Berri that a ceasefire is "necessary to secure peace in the region".
Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia have been threatening Israel with retaliation since the killings of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut at the end of July. Hamas and Iran blame Israel for both attacks. Amid the threat of escalation, the US, Israel's closest ally, has strengthened its military presence in the region and sent more warships and fighter jets.
Kirby stressed that it is unclear whether international pressure and negotiations have caused Iran to rethink its position. The threat of an Iranian attack remains, he said. "An attack could come with little or no warning, possibly in the next few days," he said. "We must be prepared for that."
Israel continued its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In attacks in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said it had killed around 20 fighters. Since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, more than 17,000 Hamas and other militant Palestinian group fighters have been killed, the Israeli military said on Thursday.
According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, which cannot be independently verified, the total number of deaths in the Gaza Strip has risen to at least 40,005.
The war in the Gaza Strip began on October 7 with a major Hamas attack on Israel. According to Israeli figures, 1,198 people were killed and 251 people were abducted into the Gaza Strip. 111 people are still being held in the Gaza Strip, with 39 of them reportedly dead.
The anonymous Hamas representative expressed that "despite the fear of potential backlash, negotiations with mediators are ongoing and have intensified." After the ceasefire proposal, US President Biden expressed his concern, stating, "Fear of further conflict and Iranian retaliation highlights the urgency of a negotiated solution."
