A senior Hamas official said today that a new round of indirect talks with Israel to end the war in Gaza has begun in Doha, Qatar.
"That round of negotiations began without any preconditions from any side, and the negotiations are open to all issues," said Hamas official Taher al-Noun.
He said Hamas would present its positions on all issues, especially the end of the war, the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the prisoner exchange, alluding to Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
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After a two-month ceasefire that allowed for such an exchange earlier this year, Israel resumed its offensive against Hamas on March 18, seeking to "defeat" the Palestinian movement and force it to release all hostages taken during the Islamist movement's attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023.
The parties accuse each other of blocking negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this week that he was sending a delegation to Doha for negotiations, and the Israeli military announced that it had expanded its offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the intensified military campaign in Gaza had forced Hamas to return to the negotiating table.
"With the launch of Operation Gideon's Chariot in Gaza, which is being carried out with great force, the Hamas delegation in Doha announced that it is continuing negotiations on a hostage agreement, contrary to its previous stubborn stance," Katz said.
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