Hamas’s negotiating team departed from Qatar’s capital Doha on Tuesday, heading to Turkey to discuss the stalled Gaza ceasefire talks, a group official confirmed to AFP. The high-level delegation, led by Mohammed Darwish, president of the movement’s leadership council, includes the negotiation team and its head, Khalil al-Hayya.
The source stated, “The delegation will hold several meetings with Turkish officials regarding the latest developments in the ceasefire negotiations, which stalled last week.” For over two weeks, mediators in Qatar shuttled between Israeli and Hamas delegations, aiming to secure a breakthrough in indirect talks that focused on a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza, nearly two years into the ongoing conflict.
US Withdraws from Negotiations
Last week, the United States joined Israel in pulling its negotiators from the discussions. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff blamed the Palestinian militant group for the failure to reach a deal, stating that Washington would “consider alternative options” moving forward.
Hamas politburo member Bassem Naim told AFP on Friday that the latest discussions centered on the details of an Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. However, Israel has resisted international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza as UN-backed experts warned on Tuesday that the Palestinian territory is slipping into famine.
Israeli Officials Respond to Ceasefire Demands
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the ceasefire demands, calling them “a distorted campaign of international pressure against Israel.” He argued that such demands would leave Hamas in power in Gaza, stating “It ain’t gonna happen, no matter how much pressure is put on Israel,” he declared during a press conference on Tuesday.
As the situation continues to evolve, the international community watches closely for any signs of progress in the ongoing conflict.
