Palestinian Hamas announced that indirect negotiations on the establishment of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the movement will resume on January 3 in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Israel did not immediately respond to the announcement of the renewed negotiations.
“As always, the organization confirms its seriousness, positivity and commitment to reach an agreement as soon as possible, responding to the aspirations of our people, the priority of ending aggression and protecting our people from genocide by the occupier (Israel),” added in a statement by Hamas, which The United States and the European Union consider it a terrorist organization.
According to reports, the negotiations will focus on ensuring that the result of the agreement is “a complete cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of occupying forces from the Gaza Strip and the definition of mechanisms for the implementation and return of displaced persons to their homes”, reports AFP.
For more than a year, Qatar has been negotiating with the United States and Egypt for a truce and the release of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel that sparked the war.
New talks were held in early December in Doha, but Hamas and Israel accused each other of blocking them.
Despite intensive diplomatic efforts, a cease-fire has not been established since a week-long ceasefire in late November last year when some of the hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
On January 2, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized negotiators to continue negotiations in Qatar.
In the attack on October 7, more than 1,200 people were killed on the Israeli side, most of them civilians, and 251 hostages were kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
There are still 96 hostages in Gaza, including 34 who were declared dead by the military.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and launched a devastating military offensive that has killed more than 45,658 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
In addition, a humanitarian disaster was caused in the besieged Palestinian territory.
(Vijesti.ba)
