Efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza are facing delays due to disagreements over the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territory, according to sources familiar with the negotiations in Doha from both Palestinian and Israeli sides.
Despite these challenges, the indirect talks concerning a US-sponsored proposal for a 60-day ceasefire are expected to proceed, sources have stated, indicating a willingness to navigate the current hurdles in reaching an agreement.
A Palestinian source revealed that Hamas has turned down the withdrawal maps presented by Israel, as these proposals would result in around 40% of the territory remaining under Israeli control, notably including all of southern Rafah and additional areas in northern and eastern Gaza.
Two Israeli sources reported that Hamas is demanding Israel to revert to the lines it maintained during a prior ceasefire, which was in effect before the escalation of hostilities in March.
On Monday, the White House announced that Mr. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who significantly contributed to formulating the latest ceasefire proposal, will travel to Doha this week to participate in the discussions.
People are seen frantically trying to secure food at a distribution site in Gaza City.
Delegations from both Israel and Hamas have been present in Qatar since Sunday, working towards an agreement that includes a gradual release of hostages, withdrawals of Israeli troops, and talks aimed at completely ending the conflict.
Hamas has consistently demanded an end to hostilities prior to freeing the remaining hostages, while Israel maintains that it will cease fighting only when all hostages are released and Hamas is dismantled.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when militants from Hamas breached Israeli territory, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of 251 individuals into Gaza. It is believed that at least 20 of the 50 hostages still held are alive.
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The subsequent Israeli campaign against Hamas has reportedly resulted in over 57,000 Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in Gaza, displacing nearly the entire population of more than 2 million and triggering a humanitarian crisis while leaving much of the region devastated.
According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, at least 14 individuals lost their lives in the most recent series of Israeli strikes across the territory today.
Yesterday, over 30 people were killed, including ten individuals who were awaiting humanitarian aid, the agency reported.
The ongoing Israeli campaign in Gaza has led to a significant humanitarian crisis within the Palestinian territory.
This morning, the Israeli military announced that it had targeted “approximately 250 terrorist positions throughout the Gaza Strip” over the past 48 hours.
The targets included “terrorists, booby-trapped structures, weapons depots, anti-tank missile launch sites, sniper posts, tunnels, and other infrastructure linked to terrorism,” the military added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing pressure both domestically and internationally to bring the conflict to an end, stated this week that neutralizing Hamas as a threat is essential for any future discussions regarding a long-term ceasefire.
This entails the disarmament of the group, he cautioned, adding that failure to comply would necessitate Israel’s intervention through force.
