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Leaders from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have jointly urged Israel and Hamas to resume stalled negotiations over the Gaza conflict, setting a new deadline for talks. In a statement released on Thursday, the three nations emphasized that “only the details” of a cease-fire and hostage release are left to negotiate. “There is no further time to waste, nor excuses from any party for further delay,” they asserted.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office confirmed that it has accepted the invitation to return to the negotiation table. The talks are scheduled for August 15, and will be held in either Doha, Qatar, or Cairo, Egypt.
Here is what you need to know
President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Qatari Emir Tamim al-Thani have been mediating indirect discussions aimed at ending the ten-month-long war in Gaza. According to a senior U.S. official cited in a Politico report, only four or five key issues related to implementation remain unresolved. One example given was the timing of a planned swap involving Palestinian detainees held by Israel and hostages held by Hamas.
The mediators have prepared a proposal to address these remaining issues and will present it at next week’s talks. Despite this progress, critics have accused Netanyahu of delaying the peace process. The conflict, which began on October 7 when Hamas-led terrorists killed around 1,200 people in Israel, has resulted in nearly 40,000 deaths in Gaza due to Israel’s military response.
The recent killing of Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran has added to regional tensions and is seen as a setback for the cease-fire talks. While Israel has not commented on the assassination, it is widely attributed to Israeli actions. U.S. officials remain hopeful that Hamas can still engage in negotiations despite the recent upheaval.
US, Egypt, and Qatar Demand Resumption of Gaza Peace Talks world-news World News | Latest International News | Global World News | World News Today
