International mediators are holding talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, Thursday as they aim for a Gaza cease-fire deal to try and stave off a larger war in the Middle East.
Negotiators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar were scheduled to meet with a delegation from Israel. Hamas said Wednesday it would not take part in the talks, but representatives might meet with mediators later, Reuters reported.
The stakes are high.
In addition to ongoing fighting in Gaza and the West Bank, Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire on the border with Lebanon. More than 100 hostages are still held in captivity. Commercial shipping remains under attack by Yemen-based Houthi fighters, and there is a looming retaliatory strike threatened by Iran over the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Although Israel did not claim responsibility for the killing, it is widely blamed for Haniyeh’s death.
Three senior Iranian officials have said a cease-fire deal in Gaza would be the only thing preventing retaliation for the killing, Reuters reported.
The plan being discussed in Doha began as three-phase “road map” to a truce unveiled by U.S. President Joe Biden on May 31. The proposal calls for a six-week cease-fire, withdrawing Israeli troops from populated areas in Gaza, and releasing women, elderly and wounded hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian aid would increase, and Palestinians would be able to return to their homes.
The six-seek cease-fire would lead to the second phase, which would involve the release of all hostages and Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza. The cease-fire would become permanent.
The reconstruction of Gaza would be the third phase.
Fighting continues as talks get underway.
On Thursday, the Health Ministry in the West Bank said Israeli troops killed two Palestinians in an airstrike on a refugee camp. Seven people were wounded. The Israeli military reported two armed militants who posed a threat to security forces in the area were killed.
Palestinian health officials said nearly 40,000 people have died in Israel’s campaign in retaliation for the 1,200 people killed and 250 people captured by Hamas on October 7. The Palestinian officials say the war casualties are mostly women and children, while Israel says the majority are combatants.
Material from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse was used in this report.
