Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, are ongoing despite significant gaps, a source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met with senior Hamas officials based in Doha. These officials emphasized that Hamas demands US guarantees that negotiations for a deal, including a ceasefire, will continue after the initial 60-day period, the source told the Post.
Efforts are being made to reach new understandings with Hamas before Eid al-Adha, which begins on Friday. In Doha, Bishara Bahbah, an envoy of Steve Witkoff, continued to engage with senior Hamas officials.
The mediators, Egypt, Qatar, and the US administration, are working to advance a deal or at least secure agreements between the parties despite the challenges.
Efforts to reach a ceasefire-hostage deal
Israeli officials note that following Egypt and Qatar’s announcement on Sunday regarding their efforts to reach a deal, Hamas also issued a statement, signaling its interest in an agreement. However, Hamas proposed a framework significantly different from Witkoff’s original plan, which included the release of 10 hostages within a week.
“The military operation is intensifying, aid is entering without Hamas’s control, and the terrorist organization is under pressure,” an Israeli source told the Post. “Within a week, Hamas presented two proposals, which were both rejected by Witkoff, and it will gradually realize that Witkoff’s framework is the only deal on the table.”