29-3-2024 (JERUSALEM) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has given the green light for a fresh round of ceasefire negotiations to be held in Doha and Cairo, as announced by his office on March 29, following days of apparent stalemate in the discussions.
Tensions escalated after the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on March 25, urging an “immediate ceasefire”. However, both Hamas and Israel have been engaged in a blame game over their inability to reach a consensus.
Mediator Qatar confirmed on March 26 that talks between Hamas and Israel regarding a Gaza truce and the release of hostages were ongoing. Yet, little information has been provided by the conflicting parties and mediators since then.
Netanyahu’s office revealed that the Prime Minister discussed the negotiations with Mossad chief David Barnea. However, it refrained from providing further details regarding whether Barnea would travel to Doha or Cairo for the talks.
The conflict erupted when Hamas launched a unprecedented attack on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,160 deaths, with the majority being civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
In retaliation, Israel’s military conducted an offensive against Hamas, leading to the deaths of 32,623 people in Gaza, predominantly women and children, according to the Health Ministry of the Hamas-run territory.
During the October 7 attack on Israel, Palestinian militants seized around 250 Israeli and foreign hostages. Although dozens were released during a week-long truce last November, Israel estimates that approximately 130 hostages remain in Gaza. Among them, 33 are presumed dead, including eight soldiers and 25 civilians.
