An Israeli delegation arrived in Qatar this week to discuss a cease-fire proposal, the UK-based Arabic news outlet Elaph has reported.
Qatari officials have been trying to bridge gaps on core issues of a cease-fire deal presented by US President Joe Biden last month.
Although he labeled it as an Israeli proposal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated he will not agree to a permanent cease-fire that allows Hamas to stay in power in the Gaza Strip.
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Protests in Jerusalem for an agreement to release the hostages
(Photo: Ahmad Gharabli / AFP)
This remains among Hamas’s core demands, along with a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Israeli officials slammed Hamas earlier this week for making significant changes to the proposal.
Under the current format, US officials speaking to Politico said the Biden administration is increasingly pessimistic that a deal can be struck.
It is believed that the fighting will last at least until the end of the year, an unnamed official said in the report.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces in Gaza continue to operate in Rafah against terrorists, as well as other parts of the Palestinian enclave. The IDF said around half of the terrorists in Rafah have been eliminated, although Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have returned to operate in other parts that Israeli forces have withdrawn from.