Israeli team in Qatar for talks on potential Gaza ceasefire deal, official says

Israel’s defence minister says have ‘not been this close to a deal’ on hostages in Gaza

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The silhouettes of a military vehicle and a soldier are seen near the Gaza border. Photo: Reuters

Published: 5:49am, 17 Dec 2024Updated: 10:56am, 17 Dec 2024

An Israeli technical team is in Doha, Qatar for working-level talks with Qatari mediators on “remaining issues” in a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, an official with knowledge of the talks told Reuters on Monday.

The talks are currently focused on bridging gaps between Israel and Hamas on the deal US President Joe Biden outlined on May 31, the official said.

Efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to reach a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages have gained momentum in recent weeks, though there has been no breakthrough.

The three countries have, for more than a year, led rounds of so-far fruitless talks to broker an end to the 14-month-long war in Gaza. More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war.

Contrails in the sky, formed by a pilot in the shape of a ribbon to represent the plight of the hostages still held in Gaza. Photo: Reuters

In previous rounds, disagreements over new demands that Israel introduced about its future military presence in Gaza obstructed a deal, even after Hamas accepted a version of the proposal Biden introduced in May.

A round of talks in mid-October failed to produce a deal, with Hamas rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal.