New Gaza cease-fire talks hope to avert Israel-Iran war; Hamas won’t attend
High-stakes negotiations will take place Thursday as the United States hopes for a breakthrough that would not just end the war between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of hostages but avert a wider conflict across the Middle East.
Mediators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar will meet in Doha to try and broker a cease-fire deal that has proved elusive through months of mounting devastation in the Gaza Strip as well as rising tensions between Israel and Iran.
A delegation of top officials from Israel will be in attendance in the Qatari capital, though Hamas confirmed Wednesday it will not take part — a blow to Washington’s hopes of securing an agreement that might head off a retaliatory attack by Iran.
The talks come as the death toll in Gaza passed 40,000, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
The region has been on edge since the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the killing of a top Hezbollah commander, both widely believed to be the work of Israel. The U.S. rushed new firepower to the area this week, but President Joe Biden suggested Iran might hold off on an attack if a Gaza truce deal can be reached.
Talks have stalled, however, since Biden announced a framework in May, with mediators spending months trying to get both sides to agree to the details of a deal having publicly agreed to the proposal in principle.
Hamas has voiced skepticism over the new round of negotiations and accused Israel of stalling by adding new demands, but said it would return to the talks if there is a “clear commitment” from the Israeli government to approve a cease-fire proposal put forward by Hamas in July.
State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said Wednesday that Qatar had assured Washington that “there will be representation from Hamas.” Mediators are expected to consult with Hamas following the new round of talks, a diplomat briefed on the talks told NBC News.
The three-phase plan would see Hamas release the remaining hostages captured during its Oct. 7 terror attacks in exchange for Palestinians being held prisoner in Israel, with Israel withdrawing from Gaza.
U.S. and foreign officials have told NBC News that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu introduced new conditions that complicated negotiations surrounding the May proposal, including that Israeli forces maintain control of Gaza’s southern border with Egypt and that more restrictions be placed on Palestinians seeking to return to their homes.
