Cairo: Hamas announced on Wednesday that it would not participate in the upcoming Gaza ceasefire talks scheduled for Thursday in Qatar, reducing hopes for a negotiated truce. Iranian sources have indicated that a ceasefire deal might be crucial in deterring an Iranian attack on Israel.
The U.S. has maintained that indirect talks in Doha will proceed as planned and that a ceasefire remains a possibility. However, Axios reports that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his Middle East trip, initially set to begin on Tuesday.
Three senior Iranian officials have stated that only a ceasefire agreement in Gaza would prevent Iran from direct retaliation against Israel for the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The Israeli government will send a delegation to the talks, but Hamas, which controls Gaza, has demanded a practical plan for implementing a proposal it has already accepted, rather than engaging in further negotiations. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri stated, “Hamas is committed to the proposal presented to it on July 2, which is based on the U.N. Security Council resolution and the Biden speech and the movement is prepared to immediately begin discussion over a mechanism to implement it. Going to new negotiation allows the occupation to impose new conditions and employ the maze of negotiation to conduct more massacres.”
Meanwhile, fighting in Gaza continues unabated. Residents of Khan Younis reported that Israeli forces have destroyed homes and intensified shelling in the city. Israel responded to Hamas rocket fire targeting Tel Aviv by hitting rocket launch sites and other military targets across Gaza, including Khan Younis and Rafah.
Also Read | German Military Base Sealed Off Amid Suspected Sabotage
Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups have engaged in attacks against Israeli forces, while Palestinian health officials report that Israeli strikes have killed at least 14 people on Wednesday. Additionally, Hamas fighters have clashed with Israeli forces in the West Bank, where Israel claims to have killed several militants.
A ceasefire deal aims to end the violence in Gaza and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, disagreements remain over the sequence of conditions and other issues. Hamas demands an end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli forces as prerequisites for releasing hostages, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that fighting will only pause to secure the release of hostages, with the goal of ultimately eradicating Hamas.
Also Read | Putin Reacts to Unexpected Ukrainian Advance in Kursk, Claims Western Manipulation
The conflict, which began with a Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, resulted in around 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 captives. In retaliation, Israeli forces have heavily bombarded Gaza, displacing most of its population and causing significant casualties. The Palestinian health ministry reports about 40,000 deaths, while Israel has lost more than 300 soldiers.
To address a potential escalation between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel, U.S. senior adviser Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut to meet with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and parliament speaker Nabih Berri. Mikati emphasized the urgency of diplomatic efforts to prevent further conflict, stating, “We are facing uncertain opportunities for diplomacy, which is now moving to prevent war and stop Israeli aggression.”
